5 Prominent female owners in T20 franchise leagues

The T20 cricket revolution has often been fueled by celebrity talent on and off the field. In recent times, some pioneering women have joined the owner's box, bringing fresh ideas, corporate influence and genuine enthusiasm for the sport.

They demonstrate that cricket franchises thrive on something more than a bottomless pocket. They bring new ideas, be it community outreach, player welfare, data revolution or cross‑league expansion, and in doing so, are transforming the sport's commercial and cultural dynamics. With their increasing impact, the future of T20 cricket is looking more inclusive, dynamic and fiercely competitive than ever.

Here are five of the most prominent female owners among global T20 franchises.

1. Preity Zinta

When Bollywood star Preity Zinta joined forces with Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia and Karan Paul to buy the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2008, she was the youngest and the first woman franchise owner in the IPL. Zinta has not shied away from the limelight. She's a regular figure on the ground, goading the crowd or applauding players with backslaps after emphatic wins. 

Under her co-ownership, the franchise has made two finals (2014 and 2025), while Zinta herself has branched out into other cricketing ventures such as establishing the Stellenbosch Kings in South Africa's T20 Global League and the Saint Lucia Kings in the CPL.

2. Juhi Chawla 

A few months after Zinta's IPL splash, actress Juhi Chawla partnered with Shah Rukh Khan and Jay Mehta to purchase Kolkata Knight Riders. Chawla's high energy has driven KKR to become one of the league's most hyped franchises with three IPL championships (2012, 2014, 2024) and an international "Knight Riders Group" spanning the CPL to the ILT20 and even the women's CPL. 

Beyond trophies, her focus on fan interaction has made KKR a model for what a celebrity brand can achieve in the way of actual community interaction, from charity drives to green initiatives and grassroots cricket.

3. Nafisa Kamal 

In 2015, Bangladeshi businesswoman Nafisa Kamal broke another glass ceiling by becoming the first female franchisee owner in the Bangladesh Premier League. As owner of the Comilla Victorians, she's guided two BPL championships (2015, 2019) and created revenue-sharing models to safeguard players, a model that most leagues continue to reject. 

Kamal's international finance experience and push for improved contracts and stadiums have raised the bar throughout the entire tournament. She continues to be one of the most prominent figures in Bangladeshi cricket.

4. Kaviya Maran

Kaviya Maran may be best known as the gifted daughter of media mogul Kalanithi Maran, but she has forged her own reputation as the mastermind behind Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL) and Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SA20). 

As CEO since 2019, Maran transformed the scouting network, invested heavily in analytics and steered SRH to an IPL title in 2016 and the inaugural SA20 title in 2023. Under Maran, Sunrisers are a case study in how data‑driven decision-making and young players can lead to silverware in double-quick time.

5. Nita Ambani 

Few wield as much influence in Indian sport as Nita Ambani. As Reliance Foundation chairperson and co-owner of Mumbai Indians, she's guided the most successful IPL franchise with five titles between 2013 and 2020. And, since 2023, the Mumbai Indians women's team has been in the WPL and won two silverware as well.

Ambani's ambition is not trophies only, but she sponsors grassroots initiatives under the "Education & Sports for All" umbrella, impacting more than 100,000 underprivileged children. Her twin approach, top-tier performance and social purpose have raised the bar for franchise ownership globally.

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