This week in global cricket sponsorships, the off-field action was just as compelling as the play on it. The Desert Vipers doubled down on climate leadership by partnering with Vuelta Carbon to offset 100% of their Season 4 emissions — ahead of their Sustainability Match in the DP World ILT20. National boards stepped into the spotlight as New Zealand Cricket welcomed Wet & Forget as the new front-of-shirt sponsor for Super Smash, while the Emirates Cricket Board sealed a three-year hydration deal with Bisleri to fuel their men’s, women’s, and youth teams. Meanwhile, India’s biggest cricketing names — MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah — made major moves across AI healthcare, financial services, sportswear, clean energy, and grooming, proving once again that in modern cricket, influence goes far beyond the boundary.
🌍 Franchise league: Desert Vipers Double Down on Climate with Vuelta Carbon Partnership
The Desert Vipers have enlisted Vuelta Carbon — a climate-financing and carbon offsetting specialist — as their Official Carbon Markets Supplier for Season 4 of the DP World ILT20, committing to fully offset all emissions generated during the season.
This partnership supports a bold sustainability roadmap for the Vipers, who have already reduced emissions by 19.5% since Season 1. The new deal will further the franchise’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2040, a requirement tied to their role as Dubai’s first signatory to the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Framework.
To achieve full offsetting, the Vipers will support a portfolio of projects across the UAE, India, and Saudi Arabia, focusing on both technological and nature-based solutions to remove and prevent the release of greenhouse gases.
Matt Bailey, Head of Strategy, Desert Vipers:
“We are delighted to partner with Vuelta Carbon as our Official Carbon Markets Supplier. We have been working hard to reduce our emissions, but we also recognise the need to use our platform to make positive strides at the same time and capture greenhouse gases that have already been released.
By supporting a range of projects in cricket-playing nations, we hope to show how cricket can be a driving force in finding solutions that benefit people and planet.”
Lee Bostock, Co-Founder, Vuelta Carbon:
“We are pleased to partner with the Desert Vipers as their Official Carbon Markets Supplier. Sustainability runs deeply through the franchise’s values, and their commitment to meaningful climate action sets an example for the sports community and beyond.
At Vuelta Carbon, we look forward to supporting Desert Vipers on their journey, helping them reduce and remove emissions while inspiring fans, partners, and other organisations to accelerate their own pathways to a more sustainable future.”
This partnership follows a series of climate-conscious initiatives by the Vipers, including prior investments in willow trees — chosen for their dual role in carbon capture and cricket bat production. The franchise is also a trailblazer in transparency, having publicly declared their annual carbon footprint since the league’s inception.
The partnership comes ahead of the team’s Sustainability Match on December 14 against the Dubai Capitals, where the carbon footprint of the event will once again be calculated and addressed.
The Vipers’ sustainability-aligned merchandise, including apparel from eco-conscious brand PALMFIT, is available on their online store, as the team continues to bring its green values to fans on and off the field.
🇳🇿🇦🇪 National Boards: NZC and ECB Land Major Partnerships Ahead of Busy Summer
As domestic and international calendars heat up, two national cricket boards — New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) — have announced new sponsorship deals that signal commercial strength and strategic brand alignment. NZC’s Super Smash has secured a beloved Kiwi brand as its front-of-shirt sponsor, while the ECB welcomes an iconic Indian beverage company to power hydration across all its national teams. These partnerships highlight the growing appeal of cricket’s diverse formats to regional and global sponsors alike.
🧼 Wet & Forget becomes Super Smash front-of-shirt sponsor for 2025/26
New Zealand Cricket has signed Wet & Forget, a well-known Kiwi homecare brand, as the front-of-shirt sponsor for all Super Smash teams for the upcoming 2025/26 season. The partnership follows a record-breaking 2024/25 edition of the tournament in terms of TV viewership and digital engagement.
The Wet & Forget branding will appear prominently on the front of all 12 men’s and women’s Super Smash team kits and will be integrated across matchday, broadcast, and digital platforms. The competition kicks off on Boxing Day (December 26) and runs through early March, with 64 games including 30 double-headers and three days of finals action.
NZC Chief Executive Scott Weenink:
“We’re delighted to welcome Wet & Forget into the New Zealand Cricket family as our new Super Smash front-of-shirt partner.
Super Smash plays a key role in connecting families and young fans with the game over summer, and Wet & Forget is a brand that’s equally embedded in Kiwi homes and communities.
This partnership strengthens the commercial platform for Super Smash and supports our wider ambition to grow the reach and relevance of cricket across New Zealand.”
Wet & Forget Chief Executive Andre Gargiulo:
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with New Zealand Cricket and to see Wet & Forget on the front of the Super Smash playing shirts this season.
Cricket over summer is part of the fabric of Kiwi life – from families watching under the sun to kids replicating their heroes in the backyard – and that aligns perfectly with who we are as a brand.
We’re looking forward to bringing the partnership to life for fans around the country and supporting the continued growth of our summer game.”
The new Wet & Forget-branded kits will be unveiled at a season launch event at Sumner Beach in Christchurch, with players from all teams attending ahead of the competition’s opening match.
💧 Bisleri signs 3-year Hydration Partnership with Emirates Cricket Board
Bisleri International, India’s leading packaged drinking water brand, has entered a three-year Hydration Partnership with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) — marking a significant milestone in its international expansion and deepening its presence in the UAE market.
Under the deal, Bisleri will serve as the Official Hydration Partner for the UAE Men’s, Women’s, U-19 Men’s, and U-19 Women’s national teams. The brand’s visibility will extend across bilateral series, ACC events, and ICC tournaments, including jersey branding and matchday integrations.
Chief Operating Officer, Emirates Cricket Board, Subhan Ahmad: “We are delighted to start this exciting three-year journey with Bisleri.
The Emirates Cricket Board is fully committed to the growth and development of the sport in the UAE and continues to explore and formalise commercial partnerships with leading international brands like Bisleri.
We look forward to a mutually rewarding partnership with long term benefits for both the men’s and women’s national teams.”
Head of Commercial, Emirates Cricket Board, Ishan Chopra:
“Our long-term partnership with Bisleri represents a strong alignment of values and ambitions, marking an important step in the commercial and developmental journey of the Emirates Cricket Board.
This association reinforces our mission to empower UAE cricket talent at every level while proudly representing the nation on the global stage.”
Chief Executive Officer, Bisleri International, Angelo George:
“Bisleri is synonymous with packaged drinking water. We’re excited to partner with the Emirates Cricket Board as we champion hydration on a global stage.
This collaboration brings us closer to passionate cricket fans across India and the UAE and deepens Bisleri’s association with the world of sport.
It marks a significant step in expanding our international footprint and building Bisleri as a trusted global hydration brand.”
Director of Sales and Marketing, Bisleri International, Tushar Malhotra:
“We are thrilled to partner with the Emirates Cricket Board as we continue to champion hydration.
With the largest sports marketing portfolio across India and UAE, this prestigious association will be brought alive through an exciting, integrated marketing approach.”
This partnership aligns with Bisleri’s broader regional ambitions, building on its earlier collaboration with the Apparel Group to manufacture and distribute its products across the Middle East and Africa. The deal with ECB adds a major cricket property to Bisleri’s international sports marketing portfolio, while providing consistent support to UAE athletes and fans alike.
⭐ Endorsements: India’s Cricket Icons Broaden Influence with Strategic Brand Alignments
India’s top cricketing names are continuing to build powerful off-field legacies, with new endorsements and equity partnerships that go far beyond traditional sponsorships. From financial services and healthcare to renewable energy, sportswear, and personal grooming — this week’s brand deals reflect a growing trend: cricketers are now stakeholders, co-creators, and strategic partners in the businesses they endorse. With Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Ajinkya Rahane, and Suryakumar Yadav all making headlines, the endorsement game is evolving into a long-term investment play.
💼 Ajinkya Rahane joins Senora Asset Management as investor and board member
Former India Test captain Ajinkya Rahane has stepped into the financial services space, joining Senora Asset Management as an investor and board member. The move formalizes Rahane’s off-field pivot into business and aligns with Senora’s values of trust, clarity, and long-term value creation.
Ajinkya Rahane:
“I value partnerships built on trust, clarity, and long-term growth. Senora’s research-driven and transparent approach aligns with my philosophy, and I’m excited to support their mission of empowering investors.
I have been a long-term client of Senora since 2019, and this partnership only strengthens that bond.”
Mridul Jalan, Founder & Investment Manager, Senora Asset Management:
“We are thrilled to welcome Ajinkya Rahane as an investor. His association strengthens our brand’s credibility and reflects the growing trust in our investment strategies and performance.
This partnership will also help us reach a wider audience looking to build informed, future-ready portfolios.”
Rahane will feature across Senora’s campaigns and investor outreach efforts as the firm looks to scale through 2025.
🏥 MS Dhoni invests in AI-led hospital network SuperHealth
Former India captain MS Dhoni has made his first major foray into healthcare with a strategic investment in SuperHealth, an AI-led hospital network that just launched its first facility in Bengaluru.
Dhoni’s investment underscores a growing interest in long-term, impact-driven sectors, as SuperHealth looks to disrupt traditional healthcare models through automation, efficiency, and transparency.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni:
“Healthcare is a fundamental human need, but people struggle with access, quality, convenience, and affordability.
I’m excited to support SuperHealth’s mission to fix healthcare and deliver high-quality care to everyone. Their approach will not only improve outcomes but rebuild trust in the system.”
Varun Dubey, Founder & CEO, SuperHealth:
“The healthcare system is broken by high capex and commission-driven incentives.
We’re rebuilding hospitals from the ground up, super high quality, extremely easy to use, radically transparent, and with zero wait times.
This frees doctors to focus on one thing: the best patient care.”
SuperHealth aims to scale to 100 hospitals by 2030, generating over 50,000 healthcare jobs and reshaping how care is delivered across India.
👟 Virat Kohli joins Agilitas Sports as equity partner, launches new phase for One8
After concluding his long-running partnership with Puma, Virat Kohli has joined Agilitas Sports as an equity partner, investing INR 40 crore in the homegrown sportswear brand founded by former Puma India CEO Abhishek Ganguly.
Kohli’s stake represents a deeper involvement in the Indian sportswear ecosystem, including innovation, product direction, and global expansion for his lifestyle brand One8, now housed under the Agilitas umbrella.
Virat Kohli:
“When the offer came through and he (Ganguly) made me understand the force behind it, the manufacturing capabilities, the expertise that he has, and the kind of people that were going to come on board, I thought this could become something big and of course, I wanted to be a part of it.”
“This has been designed by people of our own, made here. But, I think the foundation of this whole process is fulfilling your potential.”
With its integrated supply chain and high-performance positioning, Agilitas aims to challenge global players with a Made-in-India sportswear model — with Kohli now at the heart of that mission.
🔆 Suryakumar Yadav becomes brand ambassador for Fujiyama Solar
T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has been named brand ambassador for Fujiyama Solar, strengthening the clean energy brand’s visibility across India’s booming solar sector.
Yadav will front campaigns for Fujiyama’s full portfolio of rooftop solar systems, inverters, and batteries — part of a push to reach semi-urban and urban markets adopting solar solutions for energy independence.
Yogesh Dua, CEO & Joint MD, Fujiyama Power Systems:
“Suryakumar Yadav represents performance, dependability, and a fearless approach and qualities that resonate strongly with the ‘Fujiyama Solar’ brand.
We are delighted to welcome him to the Fujiyama family. Together, we aim to inspire millions of Indians to ‘Hit Energy Bills for a Six’ by adopting rooftop solar solutions.”
Suryakumar Yadav:
“I am happy to be associated with Fujiyama Solar, a brand committed to building a greener and more energy-efficient India, which is a need of the hour.
Solar power and sustainable living are the future, and Fujiyama’s innovation and trust make it a natural choice for every household.”
The partnership comes as India accelerates incentives for rooftop solar adoption, and Fujiyama plans to integrate Yadav into multi-platform campaigns during key cricket windows.
💇 Jasprit Bumrah fronts Streax’s ‘Main Fast, Streax Super-Fast’ campaign
India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is the new face of Streax Shampoo Hair Colour, leading the “Main Fast, Streax Super-Fast” campaign designed for modern, performance-conscious grooming.
The campaign aligns Bumrah’s brand of precision and speed with Streax’s core promise of quick, high-quality hair colour, delivered in just five minutes. With a ₹15 price point and nationwide retail presence, Streax is aiming to democratize smart grooming across India.
Jasprit Bumrah:
“Consistency defines everything I do — whether it’s my game or the way I present myself.
Partnering with Streax felt natural because their Shampoo Hair Colour stands for exactly what I value: speed, confidence, and results you can trust.
Main fast, Streax super-fast is definitely a vibe and sentiment that I connect with.”
Priyancka Puri, Sr VP Marketing, Hygienic Research Institute: “We’re delighted to welcome Jasprit Bumrah to the Streax family.
Streax has always stood for beauty, confidence, and a touch of everyday glamour — and our Streax Shampoo Hair Colour brings that promise to life in the fastest way possible.
Bumrah’s precision, performance, and high-impact presence make him the perfect fit for a brand that believes looking good should be quick, easy, and undeniably glamorous.”
The campaign will roll out across TV, digital, and social media, featuring Bumrah in a bold, high-performance avatar that speaks to speed, style, and grooming confidence.
