CAPE TOWN – Independent Media cricket writer Zaahier Adams has compiled a list of everything you need to know about the eight T20 Global League franchises.
Shah Rukh Khan – Cape Town:
Marquee SA player: JP Duminy. Get ready for the mother of all parties because “King Khan” is coming to town! The Bollywood superstar, who also owns IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders and CPL franchise Trinibago Knight Riders, has now added the Cape Town T20 Global League franchise to his stable. His estimated worth is close to $600 million (about 7,8bn).
Fawad Rana – Durban:
Marquee SA player: Hashim Amla. A true cricket lover, who also owns Pakistan Super League side Lahore Qalandars, where former South Africa mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton is coach. Rana has also set up a talent hunt with Australian Big Bash franchise Sydney Thunder, where Upton is the head coach, too. Rana is the managing director of QALCO (Qatar Oil Company Ltd) and has a net worth of $24m.
GMR Group – Johannesburg:
Marquee SA player: Kagiso Rabada. GMR Group is an infrastructural company headquartered in Bengaluru, India with projects in different countries all over the world, including here in South Africa. In recent years they acquired the Delhi Daredevils, which Upton is head coach of, too.
Javed Afridi – Benoni:
Marquee SA player: Quinton de Kock. The Pakistani-born businessman who graduated from London School of Economics and Regent’s University is a passionate cricket supporter. A big investor in the Pakistan Super League and owner of the Penshawar Zalmi franchise, Afridi is ready to make a big play in the T20 Global League. He is the CEO of Haier Pakistan – a major electronics and home appliances company.
Osman Osman – Pretoria:
Marquee SA player: AB de Villiers. South African businessman and owner of a lifestyle brand.
Ajay Sethi – Port Elizabeth:
Marquee SA player: Imran Tahir The Dubai-based businessman is the chairman of Channel 2, who recently signed an eight-year deal with the ICC for exclusive global radio coverage. Sethi also has other sport interests as he was part of conglomerate that owns the tennis franchise Singapore Slammers. Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar is one of the Slammers founders.
Mustaq Brey – Stellenbosch:
Marquee SA player: Faf du Plessis. A born-and-bred Capetonian from Wynberg – Brey’s sister owns the Bibis restaurant – is a chartered accountant that was forced to study through Unisa and not at one of South Africa’s acclaimed universities due to Apartheid. Chairman of Brimstone Investment, Brey and his partners have turned local shop owners, fishermen and teachers into millionaires since 1998.
Sushil Kumar – Bloemfontein:
Marquee SA player: David Miller Kumar is a Hong-Kong based director of Corporation City Sports.