Zaheer Khan co-owner of Anchor Jaffna Kings LPL

Former India fast bowler and 2011 World Cup winner Zaheer Khan has become the co-owner of the Lanka Premier League's most successful franchise, the Jaffna Kings, following the team's acquisition by the Stockholm-based sports investment group Anchor Sports AB. The franchise has been officially rebranded as Anchor Jaffna Kings.

The acquisition, completed through Anchor Sports AB, which is co-owned by Zaheer and businessman Nagendra Siddoutam, marks a new chapter for the franchise after a period of significant turmoil. It comes less than two weeks after the termination of the team's previous ownership group, Sports Commune, on July 23. That group, co-owned by former India Under-19 World Cup winner Manjot Kalra and entrepreneur Mayank Goel, had only taken control of the franchise in May.

The ownership change was precipitated by a major crisis in July. Kalra was arrested on July 16 over allegations of attempting to bribe an LPL player, with Sri Lankan authorities accusing him of offering 9.5 million Sri Lankan rupees to influence a match. He remains in judicial custody, while Goel's whereabouts are unknown. Simultaneously, Sports Commune faced financial collapse, failing to pay...