MUMBAI: Gotta catch that crowd! The Gujarat Titans got a supercharged fan boost this IPL season courtesy of Pokémon. As part of an electrifying tie-up for the 2025 league, Pikachu turned up in full Titans gear, spreading sparks from grassroots warm-ups to stadium selfies. The yellow mascot didn’t just show up he showed out. Ahead of the season, Pokémon integrated with the franchise’s Junior Titans programme, a unique under-14 initiative held across five cities in Gujarat. The big moment? A surprise visit by Pikachu himself at the Ahmedabad centre, leading warm-up drills to the upbeat rhythm of Japan’s Radio Taiso Number One, much to the delight of the young cricketers.

During the league, Pokémon took over the Narendra Modi Stadium, with a vibrant booth drawing in over 42,000 visitors across seven home matches. Kids collected free Pikachu stickers, posed for photos with the mascot, and watched their yellow hero dance and dazzle in a Gujarat Titans jersey.

Some lucky fans from the Junior Titans squad were also invited to meet Pikachu on game day, a crossover moment that blurred the lines between fantasy and fandom.

“From the Junior Titans initiative to in-stadium experiences, young fans were excited to interact with Pikachu in Gujarat Titans colours,” said Gujarat Titans COO Colonel Arvinder Singh. “It added a unique dimension to our 2025 campaign.”

The action spilled beyond the pitch. At Nexus One mall in Ahmedabad, Pokémon hosted a ‘Pokémon Fiesta’, featuring dance shows and games, while Pokémon GO players spotted Gujarat Titans logos on in-game Poké Stops across the city.

The Pokémon Company corporate officer Susumu Fukunaga noted: “We were able to tap into a new audience we hadn’t reached before. From young cricketers to fans in Ahmedabad, the response was energising.”

With the Titans reaching the Playoffs, and Pikachu stealing hearts at every turn, this unexpected collab proved one thing: cricket and cartoons make a shockingly good team.