iWorld
Entertainers Cricket League (ECL) returns, live on Waves OTT
MUMBAI: Cricket. Influencers. A digital audience of 900 million. Welcome to the Entertainers Cricket League (ECL) 2025, where content creators swap ring lights for floodlights and step onto the pitch for an electrifying showdown. After a phenomenal debut season, ECL is back bigger, better, and bolder, running from 5-16 March 2025, with live broadcasts on Prasar Bharati’s Waves OTT platform.
The tournament launches today with a grand opening ceremony at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi, led by Delhi CM Rekha Gupta. The action officially kicks off at 6 pm, with a thrilling opening clash between Haryanvi Hunters and Rajasthan Rangers, setting the tone for two weeks of intense competition.
ECL isn’t just expanding its viewership—it’s expanding its battlefield. This year’s edition welcomes three new teams into the fray:
– Rajasthan Rangers – Led by Youtube sensation Zayn Saifi.
– Kolkata Superstars – Headed by digital entrepreneur Pushkar Raj Thakur.
– Chennai Smashers – Commanded by social media star Mahesh Keshwala
They join returning fan-favourites like Munawar Faruqui, Abhishek Malhan, Elvish Yadav, Sonu Sharma, and Anurag Dwivedi, all of whom are set to mesmerise their massive fan bases both on the field and across social media.
ECL’s partnership with Waves OTT is a game-changer, ensuring that every six, wicket, and nail-biting moment reaches cricket and content fans alike.
“We are thrilled to bring the Entertainers Cricket League live to our viewers on Waves OTT! This season is set to ignite an electrifying showcase of talent, fierce competition, and unparalleled fan energy. With record participation and an unstoppable wave of enthusiasm, we are gearing up for a tournament like never before, and we can’t wait for the action to unfold”, etched Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi.
“We’re thrilled to have Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, as our sponsor for ECL Season 2. Their commitment to bringing diverse and engaging content aligns perfectly with our vision for the league”, elated Entertainers Cricket League founder Himanshu Chandnani.
“Having Waves as a sponsor for ECL Season 2 is a great addition. Their support strengthens the league, and we’re looking forward to an exciting season ahead”, added Entertainers Cricket League founder Anil Kumar.
The ECL 2025 final is set for 16 March at 9 pm, promising a blockbuster climax to a tournament that blends the best of cricket, content creation, and fan engagement.
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
