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Allirajah Subaskaran
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Winner of the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) Jaffna Stallions has a new owner as Sri Lanka-born British entrepreneur, Allirajah Subaskaran, enters the second season of the premier T20 tournament of the country by acquiring the Jaffna-based franchise in the tournament.
The Jaffna Stallions have also a new name going into the second edition of the LPL calling themselves Jaffna Kings.
Speaking about the new venture, Subaskaran said: “I have been observing the gradual growth of the LPL. It has turned out to be a spectacular sporting event, and I believe that the LPL can become a major event in the cricketing calendar. Many Sri Lankans globally look forward to this tournament; with better funding and drafting of bigger names, the league is bound to be a global phenomenon, and I don’t want to be left out of the party.”
Subaskaran is the founder and chairman of Lyca Group of companies in the UK, and the group has been diversifying its businesses in the South Asian region with a strong presence in India and Sri Lanka, making its venture into the LPL, a well-calculated move. When asked why he chose the Jaffna team, Subaskaran said: “Well, it makes sense to put your money on the team that won last year, and, I do have some sentimental attachments to the north of the island.”
Welcoming the new owner, Anil Mohan, founder and CEO of Dubai-based production giant IPG, the official promoter of LPL, said: “It gives me immense pleasure to welcome on board Lyca Group Chairman Allirajah Subaskaran as the owner of the Jaffna franchise. I am sure that his love and passion for the game will enable him to connect with the team and engage the fans and all its stakeholders going forward.”
With the LPL Player’s Draft scheduled for next month, the new owner of the Jaffna franchise expects to rope in some big international and local stars. He said that like last year, he’s confident of having a very competitive team this year too.