KKR CEO rubbishes reports of KKR-Peshawar Zalmi series

Two-times Indian Premier League Champions Kolkata Knight Riders have denied all reports of them locking horns with Pakistan Super League (PSL) winners Peshawar Zalmi at a neutral venue in the near future.

On Thursday, Pakistan media quoted the owner of Peshawar Zalmi, Javed Afridi, as saying that the KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan gave him a call to congratulate him on his franchise’s success and offered to horn locks in a three-match series between both KKR and Zalmi at a neutral venue, either London or Dubai. Peshawar Zalmi won the PSL 2017 title after beating Quetta Gladiators in the final held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday.

The news soon went viral on social media until India Today confirmed that it was hoax. KKR team management denied any such development and rubbished media reports coming in from across the border.

“There is absolutely no truth in it. We categorically deny this,” KKR CEO Venky Mysore told India Today in an exclusive chat.

According to the Zalmi owner, before coming to Lahore to play the PSL final, the emotions expressed by Marlon Samuels and Darren Sammy will bring tears to the eyes of Pakistani fans. Afridi said that the two cricketers were honoured to go to Lahore to play the final and were ready to sacrifice for their team. Afridi further added that Afghan President Ghani had invited the Zalmi team to visit Kabul.

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Players including Sammy detailed a journey involving closed roads and bullet-proof buses before they were rushed straight back to the airport. Several foreign players, including England’s Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright, backed out of the final over safety fears, but Sammy praised the arrangements in Pakistan.

“Playing in Lahore was like playing anywhere in the world once I was in the stadium. The fans are just as passionate, and the security was really tight” said Darren Sammy.