Zaheer Khan joins Jaffna Kings as co-owner after Anchor Sports completes its LPL takeover, adding star power to Sri Lanka's top franchise.
Former India pace great Zaheer Khan has stepped into sports business of cricket ownership once again, becoming a co-owner of Jaffna Kings, the Lanka Premier League's most decorated team. The move came after Stockholm-based Anchor Sports AB completed its acquisition of the club. Following the deal, the franchise was renamed Anchor Jaffna Kings, marking a new chapter for the four-time LPL champions. Zaheer joins Anchor Sports owner Nagendra Siddoutam as a co-owner as the company continues expanding its footprint in global franchise cricket.
IPG founder and CEO Anil Mohan Sankhdhar, whose company holds the LPL's official commercial rights, welcomed Anchor Sports into the league and praised Jaffna's legacy of four championships. He further said, “We are confident that Anchors Sports will build on this remarkable legacy, bring fresh vision and energy to the franchise and continue to elevate the standard of the Lanka Premier League. We look forward to an exciting new chapter for Jaffna and wish the new ownership every success.”
Siddoutam described the acquisition as a natural extension of Anchor Sports' international strategy, “The mentorship and direction he can offer our young Sri Lankan players will be enormous, and we’re excited to see that experience passed on both on and off the field.”
LPL Tournament Director Samantha Dodanwela added that having an owner of Zaheer's stature involved would meaningfully benefit the league's young Sri Lankan players through mentorship both on and off the field. The takeover further cements the LPL's growing appeal to international investors and marquee cricket personalities, reinforcing its standing as one of Asia's premier T20 franchise competitions.
The move adds another globally recognised cricketing name to the LPL, with Zaheer bringing years of international pedigree to a franchise that has already set the benchmark in the competition. Jaffna has claimed four titles in six completed seasons and remains among this year's frontrunners, currently placed in the top two of the points table with four wins from six games under Bhanuka Rajapaksa's leadership.
Anchor’s partnerships already include the Antwerp Anchors in Europe's T20 Premier League and the Vancouver Anchors in Canada's Super 60 League, framing the Jaffna franchise as another community-rooted addition to a connected global network.
Sport is no longer just a game. It's a $600 billion global industry driven by stadiums that redefine skylines, technologies that push human limits, and policies that determine who gets to play.
Sportscape Magazine exists at that intersection — decoding the forces, the figures, and the future shaping sport in India and beyond.
“We don't just cover sport. We cover what sport is becoming.”
Join 12,000+ readers. Get the week's most important sports industry stories — free, every Friday.
Loading comments…