Indian business tycoon Adar Poonawalla has seemingly hinted at buying the renowned Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of the 2026 edition. Taking to X, Poonawalla wrote, "At the right valuation, @RCBTweets is a great team as the United Spirits Limited put the franchise up for sale.
For the unversed, United Spirits Limited is a subsidiary of Diageo, a British alcoholic beverage company, headquartered in London. According to media reports, Poonawalla has emerged as the frontrunner to acquire USL's entire stake in the franchise. As claimed by CNBC TV-18, USL has called for a valuation of a mind-boggling $2 billion that amounts to nearly â‚ą17,762 crore. A Diageo has refused to comment on the matter.
Below is the tweet from the CEO of Serum Institute of India:
The development follows former IPL chairman Lalit Modi's detailed tweet on X as he wrote the below:
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"There have been a lot of rumours about the sale of an IPL franchise, specifically @RCBTweets. Well in the past, they have been denied. But it seems the owners have finally decided to take it off their balance sheet and sell it. I am sure having won the IPL last season and with its strong base of fans and great management, it could be the only team available as a whole. One of the big global funds or sovereign funds would desperately like to have them as part of their India strategy. This will definitely set a new record valuation and become the floor price for all IPL teams. I am sure Citi will do a great job auctioning the team."
Royal Challengers Bengaluru broke their title drought this year
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru-based franchise broke their long-standing trophy drought this year as they defeated the Punjab Kings in the final by 6 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Virat Kohli, who has been with the franchise since its inception, broke into tears as RCB were on the verge of winning. Rajat Patidar notably lifted the trophy in his first season as captain.
