MLBx brings baseball to India with event in Mumbai
Baseball fans have long seen commonalities between the American pastime and cricket, a sport that is loved by billions of people around the world -- particularly in India. Each sport has a bat and a ball. The objective for the offense is to score runs. The object defensively is to get outs.
Sure, there are many differences, too: the bats and balls are very different, cricket players run between “wickets” rather than around bases, there is no foul territory in cricket and most players in cricket catch the ball barehanded as opposed to every defensive player in baseball wearing a glove.
But there is definitely a kindred spirit between the sports, which poses the question: What if the worlds of baseball and cricket collided?
That’s exactly what is happening on Saturday in Mumbai, India, where MLBx makes its first visit to South Asia after debuting during this year’s All-Star festivities in Philadelphia. MLBx: Mumbai will take place at Mumbai Football Arena, Andheri Sports Complex.
MLBx is Major League Baseball’s innovative, fast-paced 3-on-3 baseball competition that brings together baseball and softball stars in an event that includes interactive fan experiences and entertainment. In 2022, then known as MLB Home Run Derby X, events were held in London, Mexico City and Seoul.
MLBx: Mumbai will feature former MLB stars Jake Arrieta, Jonny Gomes, Adrián González and Nick Swisher, as well as Athletes Unlimited Softball League standouts Rachel Garcia and Jordan Woolery. But that’s not all: A who’s who of cricket players will be participating, trying their hand at baseball after making an indelible mark in the cricket world.
Indian cricket stars Shardul Thakur, Jitesh Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Radha Yadav and Deepak Chahar will join Suryakumar Yadav, who is an MLB ambassador and led India’s national team to the 2026 T20 World Cup title as its captain.
“India’s passion for sport, combined with its vibrant entertainment culture, makes Mumbai the perfect setting for MLBx’s first event in the country,” said Jeremiah Yolkut, MLB’s senior vice president of global operations and events. “By bringing together some of India’s biggest cricket stars with MLB stars and elite softball athletes, we’re creating a unique opportunity for fans to experience baseball in a new and exciting way.
“We’re excited to continue building our connection with Indian fans and introducing more people to the game through this celebration of sport and culture.”
The players will be split into four teams whose namesakes are among the most historic franchises in MLB history: the Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox and Yankees.
Arrieta -- a former National League Cy Young Award winner, All-Star and 2016 World Series champion -- Thakur and Radha Yadav will play for the Cubs.
Gomes -- a World Series champion in 2013 -- Gautam and Chahar will play for the Red Sox.
González -- a five-time All-Star slugger and four-time Gold Glover Award winner at first base -- Sharma and Woolery will play for the Dodgers.
And Swisher -- an All-Star outfielder/first baseman and 2009 World Series champion -- Suryakumar Yadav and Garcia will take the field for the Yankees.
Garcia and Woolery, representing the AUSL, have been among the best softball players in the United States. Garcia is a two-time NFCA National Player of the Year, an Olympic silver medalist and was the first overall pick in the inaugural AUSL Draft. Woolery was named the 2026 Softball America and Big Ten Player of the Year.
The teams will play in a knockout-style competition, and the event features a three-inning format that combines power hitting, athletic defensive plays and fast-paced gameplay.
“MLBx: Mumbai is about bringing two sporting worlds together in a way that feels fresh and exciting for Indian fans,” said Nikhil Bardia, head of RISE Worldwide, an organization with which MLB is collaborating to host the event. “ … We’re proud to bring this experience to Mumbai and give fans the chance to see some incredible sporting talent come together in a completely new format.”
Mumbai is not only home to some of the best cricket players in the world, but it is also one of the world’s most famous centers of culture and entertainment -- another name for the city is “Bollywood,” a nod to India’s prolific film industry, which has its central hub located there.
MLBx: Mumbai will showcase the excitement and culture of India’s vibrant sporting culture through live music, interactive fan experiences and classic ballpark food with a local twist, celebrating the connection between baseball and the subcontinent’s rich and incredible history.
Following the Mumbai event, MLBx will travel to Japan for MLBx: Fukuoka on Nov. 7.