Colombo, 4 August 2026: Lanka Premier League franchise Jaffna has been acquired by Anchor Sports AB, a Stockholm-based global sports ownership group.
Following the acquisition, the franchise, previously operating as Jaffna Kings, has officially been rebranded as Anchors Jaffna Kings for this season, and will be rebranded as Jaffna Anchors from LPL 2027, marking the beginning of a new chapter under its new ownership.
Nagendra Siddoutam, owner of Anchor Sports, alongside former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan as co-owner, has taken over the franchise as part of the group's continued expansion in global cricket.
The acquisition further strengthens Anchor Sports' growing international portfolio, which already includes the Antwerp Anchors in the EUT20 Premier League (Belgium) and the Vancouver Anchors men's and women's teams competing in Canada's Super 60 League.
Four-Time LPL Champions
Jaffna have established themselves as one of the benchmark franchises in LPL, building a reputation for consistency and success over the years. With four championship titles to their name in just five completed seasons, they have set the standard for excellence in the competition.
Anchor Sports expressed its pride in becoming part of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) and said it looks forward to working closely with Sri Lanka Cricket, Innovative Production Group, players, partners, and fans to build on the success of the Jaffna franchise.
Anchor Sports also extended sincere thanks to Shavin Pereira, the Sri Lankan athlete manager based in the UK whose tireless work behind the scenes with Sri Lanka Cricket and the ownership group made this acquisition possible. Special acknowledgement was also given to co-owner Manish Kumar Singh, whose vision and steadfast backing have been central to this journey, alongside fellow co-owner Sanket Shah, together instrumental in building an ecosystem for cricketers from Europe to shine on the world stage.
The acquisition was driven by Faisal Shariff, CEO of Anchor Sports AB, whose leadership has powered the group's global franchise network, from Antwerp to Vancouver, and now Jaffna.
"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 Anchor 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."
"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."
"When I heard about the situation with the Jaffna team, I wanted to ensure that the players are not affected and their morale isn't affected. We will do everything possible to build the Jaffna team into an ever greater force and a model franchise for others to emulate. This will be a fresh start.
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 Jaffna Anchors."
"Having an owner of Zaheer Khan's calibre involved with the Jaffna Anchors 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."
About Anchor Sports AB
Anchor Sports AB is building a connected cricket ecosystem across Europe, anchored by a state-of-the-art indoor cricket facility in Stockholm, the only one of its kind in Sweden. The group runs high-performance squads across the continent, including in Sweden, backed by sponsorship and player-development partnerships with the Denmark, Belgium, and German cricket federations, with a special emphasis on advancing associate women's cricket through regular sponsored events and training camps, held in Sweden and beyond, led by coaches including Gary Kirsten, Kiran More, Lauren Hill, and Mickey Arthur. At its core, Anchor Sports is committed to developing cricketers from the grassroots up, giving talent from the European region a pathway to compete on the world stage.