Top News

Delhi Superheroes finisher Padmesh Mhatre has emerged as one of ISPL Season 3’s standout players after years of struggle. The Raigad native smashed an unbeaten 25 off six balls against Chennai Singams, sealing a dramatic win. Once working multiple jobs to support his family, Padmesh is now among the league’s top five most valuable players.

Mumbai: Padmesh Mhatre's life was never an easy one but his success at the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) is a story of grit, sacrifice and unshakeable belief.

This season, Padmesh is representing the Delhi Superheroes, a franchise owned by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. While he had a modest Season 2 with limited opportunities, Season 3 has marked a complete transformation. Padmesh hasn’t just played this season-he has dominated it.

The defining moment came in a thrilling, high-pressure clash against the Chennai Singams. With the match slipping away, Padmesh produced a breathtaking finish, smashing an unbeaten 25 off just 6 balls at a staggering strike rate of 416.67, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and announcing himself as one of the league’s most dangerous finishers.

From the quiet lanes of Phunde village in Uran, Raigad, to commanding matches on one of the biggest stages in tennis cricket, Padmesh Mhatre had truly arrived.

Academics did not interest him, and he failed his 10th grade at a time when his family was already battling financial hardship. With no steady income at home, his mother worked in a canteen to keep the household running, while Padmesh took up whatever work he could find.

The 31-year-old worked as a loader at a Bisleri and did multiple part-time jobs—anything to support his family.

Yet, through every struggle, cricket remained his constant.

He began his journey playing leather-ball cricket, competing in local and rural tournaments around his village. Recognition was slow, and opportunities were limited, but performances at the grassroots level earned him a place at taluka level. From there, he progressed to open cricket for Raigad district—one of the region’s strongest teams.

Just as his cricketing career began to gather momentum, Padmesh lost his father at a young age. Overnight, the responsibility of the entire household fell on him. With a sister to marry and his mother to support, the pressure was immense. At one stage, he even travelled abroad, including stints in Qatar, to work and earn a living.

But his heart never left the cricket field

“I only wanted to play cricket,” Padmesh says. Despite repeated advice to prioritise work and family responsibilities, his passion never wavered. Supported by his villagers and rural teammates—who pushed him to train, corrected his mistakes, and constantly motivated him—Padmesh eventually committed himself fully to the game.

That belief has now been rewarded

The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) has emerged as a turning point not just in Padmesh’s career, but in the lives of countless tennis-ball cricketers across the country. “Earlier, it felt awkward to say ‘I play cricket’ because people would ask what job you do,” he explains. “But ISPL has changed everything. It’s a platform where everything is visible. The future for tennis cricket is very bright.”

Padmesh has outgrown his “base price – "₹3 lakh” tag and is now ranked among the Top 5 Most Valuable Players of the league. In the ISPL, the MVP title carries more than just prestige—the league’s Most Valuable Player will be awarded a brand-new Porsche 911, highlighting the tournament’s growing scale and ambition.

Off the field, Padmesh credits his success to the environment within the Delhi Superheroes camp. “This team feels like family,” he says. “The coaches explain mistakes calmly, the support staff stands by you, and every player supports one another. Even though I miss my family back home, I don’t feel alone here.”

Known for his calm mindset in pressure situations, Padmesh keeps things simple. “I don’t think much during matches. I just focus on doing my job and helping my team win.” That clarity has helped Delhi Superheroes exceed expectations and establish themselves as serious contenders this season.