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After plying his trade in cricket, India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has now decided to venture in the business side of the sporting world. The Kerala cricketer is now the co-owner of Super League Kerala side Malappuram FC. The development takes place two days after the club won their first-ever match in the league. The team defeated Forca Kochi, a team owned by actor Prithviraj, 2-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi.
P Anilkumar, the general secretary of the state football association (KFA), who is also the general of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), welcomed the move. “All sporting personalities should come together like this for the development of sports. Earlier in ISL, cricketers took on the roles of co-owners,” he was quoted as saying in a report by The New Indian Express.
Malappuram FC will play their home matches at the Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium, popularly known as the Payyanad Stadium in Manjeri. Apart from Samson, V A Ajmal Bismi, Dr. Anvar Ameen Chelat, and Baby Neelambra, are the other co-owners of the club.
Sanju was part of India's T20 squad, which won the World Cup earlier this year. He also leads the Rajasthan Royals franchise in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) and is currently engaged in the Duleep Trophy, where he is playing for India D.
Meanwhile, apart from Samson, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli also own football clubs, which plays in India's top-tier competition, the Indian Super League (ISL). Dhoni is the co-owner of Chennaiyin FC along with Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, and Vita Dani. Kohli, on the other hand, is the co-owner of FC Goa, along with Jaydev Mody, and Akshay Tandon.
