Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Trinbago Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan have bought a team in the Emirates T20 League, which will start in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is known that five teams have already been confirmed in this six-team tournament. However, it is not yet known what name Shah Rukh Khan will give to his team in the Emirates T20 League.
Apart from Shah Rukh Khan, Mukesh Ambani, the Mumbai Indians (MI) owner, has bought the team in the stated tournament. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, a 50% stakeholder in the Delhi franchise, also bought the team for the tournament. However, Parth Jindal, another partner in the Delhi franchise, did not buy the team there.
According to the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Dubai is like a second home for Shah Rukh Khan. He is a brand there. So the board was already sure that he would buy a team in the tournament there.
However, the ECB had applied to Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians and Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai franchise. Chennai agreed at first, but later they stepped backwards.
Capri Global and Big Bash franchise Sydney Sixers have also bought teams for the tournament. The English Premier League football club Manchester United owners have also expressed interest in buying the sixth team. They showed interest in buying a team in the IPL as well. But due to delays in the auction, they could not buy the two new franchises sold in the IPL.
The tournament is expected to be held in February and March 2022. Former IPL chief operating officer Sundar Raman is launching the league under an agreement with the Emirates Cricket Association, Sheikh Al Nahyan, head of the UAE’s Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Social Development. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) is in charge of organizing the tournament.
Stay with Baji for more exciting updates on the Emirates T20 league!