Mumbai: Usha International, India’s leading consumer durables brand, is pleased to announce the continuation of its partnership with the Mumbai Indians women’s team for the second consecutive year, building on the decade long partnership. Echoing the team’s slogan ‘Aali Re’ (the women have arrived) Usha International is excited to continue its journey with the Mumbai Indians family – a journey that promises to develop and strengthen women’s cricket, both domestically and internationally. The first season of the league was a resounding success for MI, having lifted the inaugural trophy but also to packed stadium, fans tuning in to watching the games, and players now becoming household names.
This year, Mumbai Indians will play the first game of the season at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on 23 February 2024. The league will feature 20 matches and two playoffs, leading to the final on March 17. The first half, including 11 matches, will be in Bengaluru, and the rest, including 9 league matches and the playoffs, will be in New Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The Mumbai Indians women’s team, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur includes world-class players from India and abroad such as Pooja Vastrakar, Yastika Bhatia, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Hayley Matthews, Shabim Ismail, and the find of season 1 Saika Ishaque, among others.
Usha International head of sports initiatives Komal Mehra commented, “The incredible visibility and enthusiasm generated by the league’s inaugural season have been truly inspiring. Our partnership with the Mumbai Indians aligns with Usha’s ethos to promote health, active and joyful living through sports. Joining hands with the MI Women’s Team would contribute to the development of sports among women in India by showcasing the aspirational value of being a sportswoman demonstrating our commitment to inclusivity and sports for all.”
Speaking on the partnership, the Mumbai Indians spokesperson said, “Our decade-long collaboration with Usha International reflects the strength of our partnership. As both brands have evolved and grown, this journey stands as a testament to the seamless synergies we share. Here’s to continued success and growth together.”
Usha has been a fervent supporter and promoter of a wide range of inclusive sporting initiatives across the country. This includes its affiliation with the Mumbai Indians; Ultimate Flying Disc; Football; Ladies Amateur and Junior Golf; Cricket for the deaf; and Sports for the visually challenged, including athletics, kabaddi, judo, and powerlifting. The brand is deeply committed to reviving long-forgotten sports and supporting indigenous Indian regional sports such as Kalaripayattu, Mallakhamb, Siat Khnam, Thang-Ta, Turai Kabaddi, Saz-Loung, Mardani Khel, Satoliya, Yoga, and Silambam.
“It is a great opportunity to strengthen our consumer and partner connect across categories through on-air and digital platforms,” reveals Mehra. “Contests, virtual meet and greet with select players, online polls are among some of the ways in which we intend to maximize reach across geographies.”
She explains: “Since work-from-home has now become the ‘new normal’ for people, it has made ‘multitaskers’ of each of us, leading to a need for products that make tasks easy while saving time as we work for home and from home. Exclusive consumer offers and finance schemes around the festive season will see a pent-up demand growing further. The festive period typically contributes almost 30-40 per cent to the annual sales for this business. Already, indicators are showing a very promising time ahead. We are confident of healthy sales in the coming quarter.”