Mumbai watched a familiar hero pick up an unfamiliar bat on Saturday, and the city loved every minute of it. Suryakumar Yadav, the batter Indian fans know for audacious 360-degree cricket shots, led the New York Yankees to victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the inaugural MLBx Mumbai 3-on-3 baseball event at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Andheri Sports Complex.
It was not a real World Series game, and nobody pretended otherwise. This was a fast, loud, made-for-fans showcase that borrowed four of Major League Baseball’s most famous team names and filled them with a mix of Indian cricketers, former MLB stars and American softball players. The Yankees won the day, the Dodgers pushed them all the way in the final, and the crowd got exactly the crossover it had come to see.
Suryakumar did not just turn up for a photo opportunity. He played for the Yankees alongside former MLB All-Star Nick Swisher and softball star Rachel Garcia, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player. When the celebrations spilled into the stands, Suryakumar placed the gold chain he had won around his wife’s neck, a small moment that summed up the evening better than any scoreline.
A different kind of Saturday in Mumbai
The Andheri Sports Complex is used to cricket noise, but this was a different rhythm. Short games, big swings, quick turnarounds and a crowd that did not need to know baseball’s finer rules to enjoy a ball flying a very long way. Organisers pitched the event as a bridge between cricket and baseball, two bat-and-ball cousins that share timing, hand-eye coordination and a love of the big hit, even if almost everything else about them is different.
Each team mixed a baseball veteran, an Indian cricketer and an American softball player. Suryakumar is MLB India’s ambassador, a link that began at All-Star Week in Philadelphia.
How the 3-on-3 format worked
MLBx is baseball stripped down for speed. Instead of nine players a side and a long afternoon, three players per team took part in a power-hitting contest where muscle and placement both mattered. A home run earned two points, hitting the target zone earned four, and fielders picked up a point for a catch. Five consecutive out-of-the-park hits doubled a team’s total, which meant one hot streak could change a game in minutes.
- Home run: 2 points, and the crowd favourite every time.
- Target zone hit: 4 points, rewarding placement as well as power.
- Catch: 1 point for the fielding side.
- Five straight out-of-the-park hits: the team’s total doubled.
The road to the Yankees win
The semifinals produced two very different games. Adrian Gonzalez’s Dodgers overturned Shardul Thakur’s Chicago Cubs, chasing down the Cubs’ 44 runs with just a minute to spare in a finish that kept the crowd on its feet. The other semifinal was far more comfortable, as Suryakumar’s Yankees cruised past the Boston Red Sox to book their place in the final.
That set up a rematch of the 2024 World Series, this time in India, with the Yankees against the Dodgers. The Yankees posted 78 in the final and held off the Dodgers to be crowned champions of the inaugural event. The other sides featured Jake Arrieta with Shardul and Radha Yadav for the Cubs, Jonny Gomes with Kashvee Gautam and Deepak Chahar for the Red Sox, and Gonzalez with Jitesh Sharma and Jordan Woolery for the Dodgers.
Why it matters for India
Exhibition events come and go, but this one landed at an interesting moment for baseball in India. Cricket dominates the sporting conversation, yet the skills overlap is real, and the sight of India’s T20 World Cup winning captain swinging a baseball bat in Mumbai is the kind of image that sticks with young fans. Suryakumar himself sounded convinced that the crossover can work.
“I think it is all about good range hitting,” he said after the win. “You must be strong from head to your lower body, have a good core and strong arms. If you want to hit 450 feet, 500 feet, you got to be strong. Work hard. No substitutes.”
Shardul Thakur, who played for the Cubs, struck a similar note. He said the obvious similarity between the sports is seeing the ball and hitting it far, but the technique is different and takes learning. Whether baseball grows in India will depend on coaching, grounds and regular competition, not one Saturday in Andheri.
FAQs
What was the MLBx Mumbai event?
Major League Baseball’s inaugural MLBx Mumbai 3-on-3 baseball showcase, held at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Andheri Sports Complex on Saturday, October 25, 2026.
Who won the event?
The New York Yankees, featuring Suryakumar Yadav, Nick Swisher and Rachel Garcia, beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final after posting 78.
Who was named the tournament MVP?
Softball player Rachel Garcia, who played for the winning Yankees side, was named the most valuable player.
Which Indian cricketers took part?
Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Radha Yadav, Jitesh Sharma and Kashvee Gautam all featured, alongside former MLB stars and American softball players.
Was this an official MLB game?
No. It was a 3-on-3 exhibition showcase using famous MLB franchise names, not a regular-season Major League Baseball match.
