Watch cricket and Khan this summer an hour away from Miami.
AB Wire
NEW YORK: If you want to catch a glimpse of Shah Rukh Khan this summer, no need to go to Mumbai. Just take a short flight from Miami to Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies, and watch a Twenty20 game. The reason: King Khan just bought a stake in the Caribbean Premier League franchise Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, and he will be a big presence during the championship this year that starts from June 20, through July 26.
Khan, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the first IPL franchise to break even, along with his co-owner actress Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta, bought the undisclosed stake through his company Red Chillies entertainment.
KKR, IPL champions in 2012 and 2014, are the most valuable IPL team with a brand value of $86 million.
“This is in line with our vision to expand globally. We are thrilled to become part of the cricketing tradition of Trinidad & Tobago,” Khan told The Times of India, who broke the news. “The passion for franchise cricket in the Caribbean is evident with the success of CPL and we hope to bring all the best practices of KKR to the T&T franchise.”
KKR’s announcement coincided with Hero Motors, an Indian company, being unveiled as the tournament’s title sponsors for 2015, reported ESPN Cricinfo. Hero had been presenting sponsors in 2014 for two of the six CPL teams, champions Barbados Tridents and St Lucia Zouks.
Venky Mysore, chief executive officer of Red Chillies entertainment, hoped that the two-time IPL champions Knight Riders’ success would be duplicated in the CPL.
“KKR has been fortunate to be recognized as one of the most professionally managed franchises in IPL,” Mysore said, in a statement. “That experience has encouraged us to expand globally .The idea is to replicate our success in the CPL, keeping the growing interest in this [T20] format in mind.”
The CPL was launched in 2013 with six franchises. Red Steel, led by Dwayne Bravo, couldn’t make it to the final in the first two editions of the tournament.
By moving to an international area outside of India, Khan will also be rubbing shoulders with some prominent Hollywood stars. Mark Wahlberg and Gerard Butler own CPL franchises. Wahlberg owns reigning champions Barbados Tridents, led by Kieron Pollard, while Butler owns Jamaica Tallawahs, captained by Chris Gayle.
Trinidad & Tobago has a population of about 1.3 million, with people of Indian origin comprising almost 38%, making them the single largest ethnic group, reported the Times. KKR’s investment strategists are hoping that their star owner will draw in the crowds when the team plays its home matches at the historic Queen’s Park Oval between July 14 and 19.
T&T’s stars include apart from Bravo (who was the highest wicket-taker in this year’s IPL, playing for Chennai Super Kings), Darren Bravo, Samuel Badree and Kevon Cooper. Overseas signings include Kamran Akmal and Johan Botha. Former South Africa and KKR all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who is now the IPL team’s mentor, will also be a part of the T&T franchise this year.