Former India fast-bowling great Zaheer Khan has made a fresh move into the business side of cricket, becoming a co-owner of the Jaffna Kings franchise in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Stockholm-based sports ownership group Anchor Sports AB, which Zaheer co-owns with businessman Nagendra Siddoutam, has completed the acquisition of the franchise and renamed it Anchor Jaffna Kings.
The takeover comes at a crucial moment for the Jaffna franchise. The team had been without a stable private owner after its previous ownership group, Sports Commune, lost the franchise following financial difficulties and the arrest of its co-owner, former India Under-19 cricketer Manjot Kalra. The change in ownership means one of the Lanka Premier League’s most successful teams now enters the business under a new international sports group, with Zaheer bringing his experience and reputation from more than a decade at the highest level of international cricket.
For Zaheer, the move marks another step in a career that has increasingly extended beyond his playing days. The former India pacer has remained involved in franchise cricket, including through his association with the Lucknow Super Giants, but the Jaffna acquisition gives him a direct stake in the ownership and management of a T20 franchise.
Anchor Sports AB is already building a presence across international franchise cricket. Its portfolio includes the Antwerp Anchors in Belgium’s European T20 Premier League and the men’s and women’s Vancouver Anchors teams in Canada’s Super60 League. The addition of Jaffna expands that footprint into Sri Lanka and gives the group a franchise with a strong record and established fan base.
The Jaffna Kings are not just another team in the LPL. They are the competition’s most successful franchise, having won four of the five completed editions of the tournament. The team has also remained competitive in the ongoing 2026 season and was placed among the top two in the points table as the league moved towards its decisive stages.
That sporting success makes the ownership transition particularly important. The franchise had only recently changed hands before the latest development. Sports Commune, led by Indian sports entrepreneurs Manjot Kalra and Mayank Goel, took over Jaffna in May ahead of the sixth LPL season. However, the arrangement quickly ran into trouble after Kalra was arrested by Sri Lankan authorities in July in connection with an alleged match-fixing investigation. Kalra has denied involvement in the allegations.
Following the developments surrounding Kalra, the LPL rights holder Innovative Production Group (IPG) and Sri Lanka Cricket terminated Sports Commune’s franchise agreement on July 23. The decision was formally linked to the franchise’s inability to meet its financial obligations under the agreement. The rights to the team reverted to IPG, with IPG and Sri Lanka Cricket taking operational control so that Jaffna could continue competing in the tournament.
The ownership crisis, however, did not derail Jaffna’s campaign on the field. The team continued with its existing squad and schedule, allowing the players and coaching staff to focus on the tournament despite the uncertainty surrounding the franchise. The arrival of Anchor Sports now provides a more permanent ownership structure as the side moves into the crucial part of the LPL season.
Zaheer said his connection with Sri Lankan cricket made the opportunity especially meaningful. He pointed to his admiration for the country’s bowling talent and his own memories of playing and travelling in Sri Lanka. For a former fast bowler who built much of his reputation through his ability to mentor younger players, the move also offers an opportunity to contribute to the development of Sri Lankan cricketers away from the playing field.
The LPL has also welcomed Zaheer’s involvement from that perspective. Tournament Director Samantha Dodanwela said the former India pacer’s experience could provide valuable mentorship and direction to young Sri Lankan players. His involvement therefore goes beyond the commercial side of the franchise and could potentially bring an experienced international cricket voice into the team’s development structure.
IPG Chairman and CEO Anil Mohan also welcomed Anchor Sports into the LPL, describing Jaffna as a team that has set a high benchmark during the league’s short history. The expectation is that the new owners will build on that record while bringing fresh ideas and greater stability to the franchise.
