Indian American tech entrepreneur Sanjay Govil and the Glamorgan Cricket Club, owners of the Hundred franchise Welsh Fire, have emerged as strong contenders to buy Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the champions of the 2025 Indian Premier League, The Telegraph newspaper reported.
After selling stakes in the Hundred franchises earlier this year, Welsh Fire is now co-owned by Glamorgan Cricket Club and Govil, who also owns Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket. Both Glamorgan and Govil hold equal 50 percent shares in Welsh Fire, which was valued at just over £84 million ($112.26) at the auction.
The two owners are now looking to expand their cricket portfolio together, according to the Telegraph. They are reportedly eyeing upcoming stake sales in Big Bash League teams, but their focus is also on acquiring the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. RCB boasts the largest fan base on social media, commands higher ticket prices, and remains one of the most valuable and high-profile franchises in the IPL.
Govil, a long-time resident of Potomac, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., is the founder of Infinite, a digital engineering and IT services company.
He acquired the Washington Freedom in 2023 as a founding investor in Major League Cricket (MLC). The Freedom, which won the MLC championship in 2024, is the only team in the league without IPL ownership.
Coached by Australian legend Ricky Ponting and captained by fellow Aussie superstar Steve Smith, the team finished as runners-up this year.
Speaking to The American Bazaar in July 2023, the inaugural season of Major League Cricket, Govil described his ownership of the team as “a no-brainer of an investment.”
READ: Sanjay Govil brings professional cricket to Washington (March 20, 2023)
“There’s a ready-made audience and hunger and passion for the sport in this country,” he said. “So, it was a no-brainer of an investment. And, on the other hand, I will say I’m very, very fortunate to be part of the Washington Freedom team.”
Govil briefly owned Delhi Acers in the Indian Badminton League.
Earlier this month, Diageo, the multinational spirits company that owns RCB, said it was carrying out a “strategic review” of its investment in the franchise. The review is expected to wrap up by the end of March next year, likely paving the way for new owners for both the IPL champions and their Women’s Premier League team, opening the door for investors like Indian American entrepreneur Sanjay Govil to step in.
Industry insiders estimate that RCB could fetch as much as $2 billion (£1.5 billion) in a potential sale. The franchise was the second most expensive when the IPL launched in 2008, and Diageo acquired full ownership in 2016.
Ahead of the Hundred auction, Welsh Fire were initially expected to sell for the lowest price among the eight teams, but their final valuation surpassed that of Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets. Since then, Indian American entrepreneur Govil and Glamorgan Cricket Club have built a strong working partnership. Welsh Fire and Govil’s U.S.-based team, Washington Freedom, already share key staff members, including Australian Michael Klinger, and collaborate closely both on the field and in management.
According to the Telegraph, Govil and the Glamorgan team, led by chairman and former investment banker Mark Rhydderch-Roberts, are confident they have the resources needed to buy RCB.
READ: Washington Freedom was a no-brainer of an investment: Sanjay Govil (July 17, 2023)
When Telegraph Sport (UK) reached out for comment on their interest in the franchise, Rhydderch-Roberts responded, “Fire and Freedom do not comment on specific cases. However, we are in the business of owning, operating and developing global cricket franchises. We note current structural trends towards consolidation in global cricket assets and intend to fully participate in that process while creating value for our shareholders.”