KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The New York Yankees side featuring former India T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav won the inaugural MLBx Mumbai.
- Six Indian cricketers took part across four teams at the Andheri Sports Complex.
- MLBx is a mixed 3-on-3 format scoring points for home runs and catches.
Suryakumar Yadav’s Yankees win the inaugural MLBx held in India
Suryakumar Yadav pulled on a New York Yankees shirt at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday, seven months after lifting the T20 World Cup, and walked away with another trophy of sorts as his side won the first MLBx competition staged in India.
https://www.instagram.com/p/De4ed0dAOJW/
On the Yankees side, SKY was joined by the legendary Nick Swisher, who played 12 Major League seasons and won the 2009 World Series with the actual Yankees, and by softball player Rachel Garcia. Suryakumar is an MLB ambassador who has been central to the league’s push into the Indian market.
MLBx is a modified co-ed 3-on-3 home run derby rather than baseball as most people know it. Each player gets one two-minute at-bat in a three-inning game while the opposition stations its three players in the outfield, with a point awarded for every home run and every catch taken.
There are two ways to earn more. Hitting a ball through a target placed above the centre-field fence brings bonus points, and a player can call a hot streak of five swings during which both offensive and defensive points count double.
The event had already been held at 15 venues in the United States over three years, including during All-Star Week in Philadelphia, as well as in London, Seoul and Mexico City. Mumbai was its first stop in South Asia.
MORE: Gautam Gambhir reacts to India’s epic run chase vs New Zealand in 2nd T20I with a powerful three-word message
Full squads for MLBx Mumbai 2026
Four teams took the names of historic MLB franchises, with each pairing a former Major Leaguer with Indian cricketers and, in two cases, a player from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
| Team | Players |
|---|---|
| New York Yankees | Nick Swisher, Suryakumar Yadav, Rachel Garcia |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Adrián González, Jitesh Sharma, Jordan Woolery |
| Chicago Cubs | Jake Arrieta, Shardul Thakur, Radha Yadav |
| Boston Red Sox | Jonny Gomes, Kashvee Gautam, Deepak Chahar |
The baseball names carry serious credentials. González spent 15 seasons in the majors as a five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner at first base, while Arrieta won a National League Cy Young Award and the 2016 World Series with the Cubs.
Among the cricketers, Jitesh Sharma arguably had the most transferable skill set, since keeping a wicket is the closest thing cricket has to catching.
Shardul Thakur has played all three formats for India and won two IPL titles with Chennai Super Kings, while Kashvee Gautam became the first Indian woman to take all 10 wickets in an innings in a BCCI domestic tournament in 2020. Radha Yadav, a left-arm spinner known for her fielding, was part of India’s 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup-winning squad.
MORE: Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka Tests 2026: Full team list
MLBx Mumbai 2026 full results and standings
The Yankees ended as the winners after accumulating the most points for their hitting and their fielding. The Dodgers ended up as the runners-up, while the Cubs and the Red Sox were third and fourth, respectively.
| Team | Ranking |
|---|---|
| New York Yankees | Winners |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Runner-up |
| Chicago Cubs | Finalist |
| Boston Red Sox | Finalist |
MORE: Auction table for MI, playing for CSK franchise and back to coaching MI: Pollard’s wild schedule till IPL
Indian cricketers react to playing Baseball
Suryakumar’s verdict afterwards had less to do with technique than with raw strength, and he made clear that his time in the nets beforehand only took him so far.
“I think it’s all about good range hitting is what I felt. I practised also in the net area before, but whatever it is, you have to be strong from here till your lower body, have good core, you should have strong arms like these people,”he said.
https://x.com/ians_india/status/2114028088694866404
The gap he was describing is a physical one. Clearing a cricket boundary and clearing a baseball fence are different problems, and Suryakumar put the difference down to conditioning rather than timing. “Work really hard; nothing comes easy if you want to hit 450 feet or 500 feet, you have to be strong. Work hard, no substitute,” he added.
Shardul found the repetition the hardest part and was generous about how much help the baseball players gave the cricketers during the event.
“It is tough because it’s not simple to keep hitting. Like I said, the techniques are a little bit different. We had to learn about it, but the baseball players were really kind to teach us, discuss with us, and let us know about their sport,” he said.
https://x.com/ians_india/status/2114026721397858536
He described the afternoon as an entirely new experience and said the exchange was mutual rather than one-sided. In the end it was the Yankees who came out with the win, just as they have so many times in the World Series.
For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary, and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.
Source: www.cricketnews.com
