IPL 2021 auction: Preity Zinta buys Shahrukh Khan, fans say ‘Veer Zaara’ in Punjab Kings

Young TN batsman Shahrukh Khan went for an impressive sum of Rs 5.25 crore to Punjab Kings – up from from base price of Rs 20 lakh. Making his T20 debut with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2018, Khan was soon noticed for his skills and his big-hitting ability while playing for the Tamil Nadu premier league.

Screengrab of Preity Zinta's reaction after her franchise Punjab Kings bought TN's Shahrukh Khan.

There were plenty of big buys at the IPL 2021 auction in Chennai on Thursday (February 18) but no one generated more Bollywood interest than an uncapped cricketer from Tamil Nadu. It was none other than young TN batsman Shahrukh Khan, who went for an impressive sum of Rs 5.25 crore to Punjab Kings – up from from base price of Rs 20 lakh. 

But the fact that he went to Preity Zinta co-owned Punjab Kings, was what got social media in a tizzy. In fact the TN batsman was named after Bollywood star and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Shah Rukh Khan – Preity Zinta’s co-star in many a Bollywood blockbuster. 

The news was shared on Twitter by the official handle of the IPL. “Shahrukh Khan, with a base price of 20 Lac, is attracting interest at the #IPLAuction. @Vivo_India. He goes to @PunjabKingsIPL for 5.25Cr INR @Vivo_India #IPLAuction - WOW,” the tweets read. 

Shahrukh Khan, the cricketer, is a 25-year-old is a big-hitting middle-order batsman who is quick to get the 30s and 40s that are so important in T20. Making his T20 debut with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2018, Khan was soon noticed for his skills and his big-hitting ability while playing for the Tamil Nadu premier league. 

IPL’s official Twitter handle tweeted Zinta’s reaction on their page with the caption, “When you get a certain ‘Shahrukh Khan’ in your side.” 

When you get a certain "Shahrukh Khan" in your side @PunjabKingsIPL @Vivo_India #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/z4te9w2EIZ

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 18, 2021

Many fans had hilarious reactions to it. “Finally Veer & Zaara met. #IPLAuction,” one wrote, referring to Yash Chopra’s Veer-Zaara, a film about star-crossed lovers, starring Shah Rukh and Preity in the lead roles. 

Finally Veer & Zaara met. #IPLAuction

— Aditya Saha (@adityakumar480) February 18, 2021

“Priety Zinta helps SRK make his IPL debut after she debuted with SRK,” another wrote, referring to Preity’s first release, Dil Se, in which she was cast opposite Shah Rukh. “SRK n zinta in same team now,” a third wrote. “After KKR now Punjab also got a SRK,” was what another fan wrote.