Cricket T20: Now The King Khan Controversy Dogs IPL-5!

As the heat and humidity increase the cricket T20 Indian Premiere League-Season Five (IPL-5) is increasingly getting most of the heat from reasons other than nature. It has already earned the distinction of having the most number of nail-biting matches of all IPLs including a record ten last-ball finishes so far. On the flip side there is the spot fixing menace unearthed by a television channel sting operation recently. Now, Hindi movie mega star Shahrukh King Khan adds to it by one more display of alleged rowdy behavior.

It was a crucial match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at the latter’s ‘home’ ground, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai—the venue of the World Cup-2011 final. Shahrukh Khan, the co-owner of KKR, had been very much visible in the crowd waving to the galleries with television cameras catching him every now and then in between the ‘cricket’ action. King Khan, known for his exemplary ‘love’ for cricket, always made it a point to attend matches where KKR figured. In Kolkata, the ‘home’ ground for KKR, a few days back KKR did everything right to win the match and just about sealed it with the rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) needing 5 runs of the last ball. But alas! To the utterly-bitterly disappointment of King Khan the CSK batsman Bravo sent the last ball towering over the ropes for a huge six and CSK won by 5 wickets. Mercifully, the cameras could not find a possibly devastated Shahrukh then!

At the Mumbai match on May 16, 2012 KKR posted only a moderate total of 140 runs and nobody gave them a real chance including, maybe, a pensive Shahrukh considering MI’s formidable batting strength. But led by an intense skipper Gautam Gambhir KKR bowled out MI winning convincingly by 32 runs. Understandably, the celebrity star must have been in the highest of spirits for the incredible win and also for the fact that KKR had now almost ensured its place in the last four.

Reports say that an excited Khan, possibly in an inebriated state, went to the dressing room with his posse of bodyguards and congratulated his team players. Then he supposedly tried to walk into the ground perhaps to celebrate with the crowds with his invincible star appeal that  could have cheered up the depressed MI ‘supporters’.

At this point the stadium security personnel and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials objected and an ugly scuffle followed. The reports further say that an angry Khan abused all the MCA officials including their president and even supposedly manhandled them. Furious MCA officials held an emergency meeting and decided to ban the superstar from entering the Wankhede Stadium for life. A complaint against the movie star was also lodged at the nearby Marine Drive police station. The officials maintained that the IPL authorities witnessed the incident and that they would also represent the case with the Indian cricket Board (BCCI).

The problem here is that if King Khan really gets banned a huge percentage of IPL glamor is bound to be rudely curtailed. The point seemed to be very well understood by the IPL Chairman who told reporters that all the sides and all the versions of the story would be taken up and discussed before endorsing the MCA decision or arriving at a new verdict. 

Perhaps the energetic and the sentimental mega star could not strike the right or desired balance between agony and ecstasy! 

Meanwhile, King Khan had hit back making the same allegations of abuse against MCA officials and security personnel. He charged them with alleged ‘abuse’ and ‘manhandling’ of his children at the end of the match when he went to the stadium only to pick them up. He further said he was not under the influence of alcohol and he refused to apologize demanding apology from MCA people instead. Mumbai Police had also registered a non-cognizable offence against Shahrukh. The confusing scenario is expected to clear up when the police examines the CCTV footage.

At the moment the SRK mystery thickens!