Zaheer Khan, a former India fast-bowling great, has become co-owner of the Lanka Premier League’s (LPL) most successful team as Stockholm-based global sports holding firm Anchor Sports AB completed the acquisition of the four-time champion Jaffna Kings.
Following the takeover, the team was formally renamed Anchor Jaffna Kings, signalling the start of a new era under new management. Zaheer will join Anchor Sports owner Nagendra Siddoutam as a co-owner as the firm expands its footprint in global franchise cricket.
The addition brings another well-known cricketer to the Lanka Premier League, with Zaheer adding decades of international experience to a side that has set the competition standard. Jaffna has won four LPL titles in five full seasons and is once again among the frontrunners this year, sitting in the top two of the points table after four victories from six matches under Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s captaincy.
Anil Mohan Sankhdhar, Founder and CEO of Innovative Production Group (IPG), the official rights holder of the Lanka Premier League, said, “We welcome Anchor Sports on board and to the LPL family as they take over the iconic Jaffna franchise. Jaffna has been a legendary team in the six-year history of the league, winning four championship titles and setting the benchmark for excellence. 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.”
Zaheer Khan, Co-owner of Anchor Jaffna Kings, said, “I’ve always admired the calibre, innovation and variety of bowling talent that comes out of Sri Lanka, it’s a country I’ve visited, competed in, and hold very fond memories of. To now be part of Sri Lankan cricket as an owner is something I’m genuinely thrilled about, and I can’t wait to get started with the Anchor Jaffna Kings.”
The acquisition strengthens Anchor Sports’ international portfolio, which already includes the Antwerp Anchors in the European T20 Premier League and the Vancouver Anchors men’s and women’s teams in Canada’s Super 60 League.
Nagendra Siddoutam, Owner of Anchor Sports, said, “This is a significant step for us. Sri Lanka has a rich cricketing heritage, and the LPL has established itself as a well-run, highly competitive league in a short span of time. The Jaffna Anchors will be a natural extension of what we’re building globally — franchises that are rooted in their local communities while being part of a connected, international Anchor network. We’re looking forward to investing in the Jaffna Anchors and contributing to the league’s continued growth.”
Samantha Dodanwela, Tournament Director of the Lanka Premier League, said, “Having an owner of Zaheer Khan’s calibre involved with the Anchor Jaffna Kings is a real boost for the league. 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.”
Anchor Sports’ arrival marks another significant milestone in the Lanka Premier League’s development, bolstering its capacity to draw in globally recognised cricket personalities and international sports investors while maintaining its position as one of Asia’s leading franchise T20 competitions.
