At 8, July 2 -- 40 on a Saturday morning, the parking lot outside PlayTM Sports Arena in Bengaluru's Marathahalli is already full.

Inside the venue, three cricket teams are locked in competition. Twenty-seven men, most of them working professionals, have given up their weekend sleep-in for an eight-over box cricket tournament. The ground is enclosed by nets. Every boundary shot ricochets off the mesh, and every wicket is celebrated with the intensity of a knockout game.

Many of the players know each other, as some play in tournaments almost every weekend. A few are wearing jerseys carrying the logos of sponsors from previous competitions.

The tournament began at 7:30 am and will end before lunch, after which the winning team will take ...