Chennai
Chennai Falcons retained the Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL) Season 3 title after defeating the Mumbai Grizzlies 2-1 in a best-of-three final, organisers said on Sunday. The Falcons, whose ownership includes Gopal Srinivasan, Madhusudana R. and Arjun Santhanakrishnan, held their nerve to win the third and deciding match by two wickets.
The final, staged as the culmination of JetSynthesys' digital cricket league powered by Real Cricket™, saw the two sides split the first two games before Chennai prevailed in the decider. The victory means the Falcons successfully defended the crown they won in the previous edition.
- Final result: Chennai Falcons beat Mumbai Grizzlies 2-1 in best-of-three final.
- Deciding margin: Falcons won the third match by two wickets.
- Notable awards: Jetha Ram won the Orange Cap and MVP; Nadeem claimed the Purple Cap; Deepak named Emerging Player.
Individual honours reflected strong performances across teams. Jetha Ram of the Mumbai Grizzlies finished as the tournament's highest run-scorer with 488 runs and was also named the Most Valuable Player after contributing with both bat and ball—488 runs and 14 wickets, organisers reported. Nadeem from the Falcons led the bowling charts with 19 wickets to claim the Purple Cap, while Falcons' Deepak was awarded Emerging Player after finishing as the third-highest run-getter of the competition.
"The GEPL has attracted prominent founders, investors and cultural figures who have backed franchises to build a long-term institution," organisers said in a statement.
The tournament featured a line-up of four franchises that made it to the latter stages. According to the published standings, Delhi Sharks, owned by Peyush Bansal, finished as second runners-up, while the Bengaluru Badgers, co-owned by Nikhil Kamath, Ankit Nagori and Prashanth Prakash, placed fourth.
| Position | Team | Notable owner(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Champions | Chennai Falcons | Gopal Srinivasan; Madhusudana R.; Arjun Santhanakrishnan |
| Runners-up | Mumbai Grizzlies | Sara Tendulkar |
| Third | Delhi Sharks | Peyush Bansal |
| Fourth | Bengaluru Badgers | Nikhil Kamath; Ankit Nagori; Prashanth Prakash |
The GEPL, conceptualised by JetSynthesys, is positioned as a digital e-cricket league leveraging the Real Cricket™ platform. Organisers noted that the competition has attracted a roster of high-profile franchise backers from business and cultural spheres who view ownership as a long-term institutional investment rather than a mere sponsorship exercise.
The season's finale drew several prominent stakeholders and guests, including Sara Tendulkar, Prashant Prakash, Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla and Mandira Bedi, among others, the league said. JetSynthesys Chairman Rajan Navani and senior industry figures were also present, underscoring the event's blend of sport, technology and entrepreneurial investment.
For Chennai audiences, the Falcons' back-to-back titles reinforce the city's presence in the rapidly expanding e-sports and digital-sport ecosystem. The success is likely to bolster interest among local investors and gaming communities in Chennai and across Tamil Nadu, where competitive mobile gaming and e-sports have been growing steadily.
Organisers did not disclose prize-money figures or broadcast viewership data in the published reports. The tournament's statistical leaders and franchise placements, however, are expected to shape player valuations and franchise strategies ahead of the next season.
With the Falcons retaining the trophy, attention will now turn to how owners and team management will prepare for Season 4, both in terms of on-platform recruitment and off-platform brand engagement in key markets such as Chennai.
