Midwicket Stories launches with cricket’s greatest untold conversations; world’s first global storytelling property celebrates legends, friendships & untold stories

After three years of ideation, travel, conversations, and storytelling across continents, Midwicket Stories (MWS) was officially launched in Mumbai at the ITC Maratha Hotel on Sunday marking the beginning of a unique global cricket storytelling movement designed to uncover unheard anecdotes, dressing-room memories, rivalries, friendships and untold stories from some of the biggest legends of the game.

Conceived in 2022 by founders Nishant Dayal and Jaya Prasad, Midwicket Stories was born from a simple yet powerful idea, to bring together iconic cricketers on one platform and create conversations the cricketing world had never truly heard before. What began as a simple scribble on paper gradually evolved into a global cricket storytelling property built around friendships, rivalries, dressing-room humour and untold stories from the game’s greatest personalities.

Over the last three years, Midwicket Stories has travelled through seven cities, four countries and three continents, featuring 11 cricket legends across seven episodes filmed in some of the world’s most iconic cricketing destinations.

The MWS journey so far has featured:

· Sydney: Sunil Gavaskar & Allan Border

· Dubai: Sunil Gavaskar & Viv Richards

· Mumbai: Harbhajan Singh & Chris Gayle

· Bengaluru: Sunil Gavaskar & Geoffrey Boycott

· London: Sunil Gavaskar & Ian Botham

· Chennai: Navjot Singh Sidhu & Sanath Jayasuriya

· Adelaide: Zaheer Khan & Matthew Hayden

The inaugural episode featuring former India captain Sunil Gavaskar and former Australia captain Allan Border was filmed in Sydney during the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in front of more than 150 invited guests and received an overwhelming response from audiences present at the venue.

The official launch of Midwicket Stories and the unveiling of Episode 1 took place in Mumbai on Sunday, in the presence of cricketing legend and Principal Advisor Sunil Gavaskar, alongside founders Nishant Dayal and Jaya Prasad.

Adding to the excitement, the eighth episode of Midwicket Stories featuring Harbhajan Singh and Matthew Hayden was recorded on Sunday in Mumbai.

The Harbhajan-Hayden episode is expected to revisit one of cricket’s most memorable rivalries that eventually transformed into a warm friendship built on mutual admiration and respect, typifying the enduring bond between two strong personalities from different cricketing cultures.

Apart from celebrating cricketing stories, MWS also carries a strong philanthropic purpose. Profits generated through these high-profile events and associated initiatives are routed through the Dr Dayal Foundation (DDF) to fund paediatric heart surgeries for children across India.

Episodes from the series will now be released every two weeks on the official Midwicket Stories YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@midwicketstories)

Speaking at the launch, founder Nishant Dayal, who comes with a 25 years of experience in Cricketing Ecosystem said: “The sole motto of MIDWICKET Stories is mutual admiration beyond fierce rivalries on the field. We wanted to create a platform where legends could revisit the moments that shaped cricket history, and speak with honesty, warmth, humour, and emotion. Many of the stories shared on this platform may not be in the public domain. Seeing this vision finally come alive after three years of relentless hard work is an incredibly emotional moment for all of us.”

Co-founder Jaya Prasad added: “The biggest challenge was creating a format that felt intimate, authentic, and timeless. Every episode required immense planning, from selecting the right legends and destinations to designing the tone of each conversation. What makes Midwicket Stories special is that it captures the human side of cricketing icons beyond statistics and scorecards.”

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who officially unveiled the first episode, said: “Cricket has always been rich with stories, friendships, rivalries, humour, and unforgettable dressing-room moments. Midwicket Stories brings those memories alive in a way audiences have never seen before. I am delighted to be associated with a platform that celebrates cricket’s history and emotions through conversations.”

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh said: “When cricketers sit together off the field, the stories that come out are priceless. Midwicket Stories creates that atmosphere beautifully. Fans will get to hear things they have never heard before, and that makes this platform truly exciting.”

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden added: “Cricket has given all of us incredible memories and friendships across countries and generations. Midwicket Stories captures the spirit of the game beautifully by bringing legends together in a relaxed environment where conversations flow naturally and honestly.”