In pictures: Bollywood celebrities and their connection with sports

Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan bought IPL (Indian Premiere League) team Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008, the very year Board for Control of Cricket (BCCI) introduced the tournament. Since then, he has been a proud owner of the team and has stuck through the good and bad seasons.

Ranbir Kapoor

Ranbir Kapoor is the proud co-owner of Mumbai City FC, which plays in ISL. The team was founded in 2014. Apart from Kapoor, Chartared Accountant Bimal Parekh co-owns the team.

Akshay Kumar

Bengal Warriors, another Pro Kabaddi team, was founded in 2014. However, Akshay Kumar associated with the team in 2017.

John Abraham

John Abraham owns Northeast United FC, which competes in Indian Super league. Based in Guwahati (Assam), the team represents eight Northeast states namely Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram.

Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan is one of the owners of professional football franchise FC Pune City, based out of Pune (Maharashtra). Founded in 2014, the team competes in Indian Super League and aims to boost the spirit of Football holistically in the country.

Abhishek Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan owns the Jaipur Pink Panthers, a Kabaddi team that competes in the Pro Kabaddi League. Founded in 2014, the team has another celebrity connection. It is managed by GS Entertainment Worldwide, owned by producer Bunty Walia.

Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta owns the cricket team Kings XI Punjab, competing in IPL. Based out of Mohali (Punjab), it was founded in 2008. Apart from being one of the stakeholders alongside Ness Wadia and Dabur, Preity has been the team’s official face since the beginning.

Sridevi

The Celebrity Cricket League kickstarted in 2011 and was introduced by Vishnu Vardhan Induri, a Hyderabad-based businessman. The next year, Bengal Tigers representing Tollywood (the film industry of Bengal) was added. It is owned by B-Town couple Sridevi and Boney Kapoor.

Shilpa Shetty

Rajasthan Royals was founded in 2008 as one of the initial eight teams of IPL. Actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra owned 11.7% stake of the team and were the faces of the team until Kundra was accused of Cricket betting. Following scandals of match fixing, Rajasthan Royals are presently into a suspension from participating in the tournament till 2017. In 2015, Shilpa and Raj decided to give up on their stake and sold it off.