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Sportskeeda gears up for T20 World Cup 2021 coverage
Mumbai: One of the biggest and most exciting cricket tournaments, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is here and fans couldn’t be more excited. Sports platform Sportskeeda too, is all geared up with a ton of exclusive content and coverage to add to the World Cup T20 excitement.
Indiantelevision.com got into a conversation with Sportskeeda head of content marketing and video Shantanu Pusalkar and business head Kanav Sud on how they’re adding to the fire for both fans and brands looking to make the most of the tournament. Excerpts:
1. The whole sports industry, and especially the fans are super excited about the World Cup. What does Sportskeeda bring to the table that’s new and fun?
Shantanu P – Well apart from the staple ball-by-ball commentary, live scores, match preview and reviews, and fantasy league content, this time around our team has put in special efforts to bring forward a whole host of exclusive stories and fun banter on video and articles with the likes of Shoaib Akhtar, Harbhajan Singh, Danny Morrison, Lendl Simmons, and many others.
2. Could you tell us a bit more about the different formats and stories you’re bringing for the customer?
Shantanu P – Certainly, two of our marquee properties will be:
‘Masters of the Game’: Our behind the scenes series is being launched with an exclusive look at Pakistan Captain Babar Azam’s journey into International cricket
‘SK Tales Bhajji-Shoaib Uncensored’: This segment is a free-flowing no-holds-barred banter show where Harbhajan Singh, Shoaib Akhtar, and Danny Morrison talk everything cricket on and off the field, guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and bring forward unheard incidents for fans.
We also have exclusive Interviews of Shakib-Al-Hasan and Lendl Simmons who talk about how they are preparing for the T20 World Cup. Along with that, we are bringing ‘SK Yorked’, our preview segment to the matches coming up. It will include Key battles, Expected XI, Predictions, etc. to bring both the facts and stories that resonate with cricket fans all over the world.
Kanav S – I’d also like to add that we have already seen a lot of excitement coming in from brands looking to capitalise on the World Cup, and we have managed to get a good set of brand sponsorships and partnerships for some of our exclusives lined up.
3. Kanav, could you tell us some more about how you integrate content with the brands and what other solutions you offer?
Kanav S – Brands are signing up as main and support sponsors for a lot of our exclusives that Shantanu spoke of with Bhajji and Shoaib Akhtar, with in-content brand integration and mentions. We also have the capability to create exclusive and relevant content from scratch for brands based on their proposition, to fit into the World cup conversation more seamlessly, something we believe is more effective than just running ads and gives a brand 360 presence and relevance on our platforms.
We have a host of food delivery, BFSI, fantasy cricket advertisers working with us for this world cup. Overall, we are extremely excited to put our best foot forward for the fans and the brands this world cup season and are gearing up for a good response on both fronts.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
