Vijay Mallya meets former Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Chris Gayle, social media goes into meltdown

Chris Gayle dominated the league during his stay at the RCB and smashed 3420 runs in 91 games at an average of 43.29 and strike rate of 154.40.

Vijay Mallya with Chris Gayle. (Source: Twitter)

Royal Challengers Bangalore was initially owned by liquor baron Vijay Mallya and was instrumental in signing up ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle. The West Indies opener was sensational for RCB over the years in the Indian Premier League, who have inducted him in their Hall of Fame along with former South Africa batter AB de Villiers.

Social media couldn’t stay calm when Mallya met with his former protégé Gayle and posted a picture on his Twitter handle. “Great to catch up with my good friend Christopher Henry Gayle @henrygayle, the Universe Boss. Super friendship since I recruited him for RCB. Best acquisition of a player ever,” Mallya wrote on Twitter.

Great to catch up with my good friend Christopher Henry Gayle [?]@henrygayle[?] , the Universe Boss. Super friendship since I recruited him for RCB. Best acquisition of a player ever. pic.twitter.com/X5Ny9d6n6t

— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) June 22, 2022

Gayle joined RCB in 2011 and played for the franchise till 2017. He dominated the league during his stay at the RCB and smashed 3420 runs in 91 games at an average of 43.29 and strike rate of 154.40, including 21 fifties and 5 centuries. Also, he smashed sensational 175 not out while playing for RCB, which is the highest individual score in the history of the tournament.

This is how social media reacted…

Any one who has seen this daru pe charcha episode can relate this . pic.twitter.com/0r12dNNUqX

— thoms pokhrl (@Thomaspokharel1) June 22, 2022

Paisa kab dega tu ? Tu mere se 2 rupiya udhaar liya thaa yaad hain jab tu vaag gaya tha taab main tujhko 2 rupiya wala ek biscuit diya tha paisa de de

— Sandy (@Sayantanrt) June 22, 2022

Ghar Aaja Pardesi tujh ko desh bulaye re
Chor+bhagodha+darpok+dakaet= Vijay malya
Gayle kala h par istime mujhe gora lag raha h
Tere kale kaarnamo ki wajah se

— Syed Qasim raza rizvi (@0851741e741a429) June 22, 2022

The ‘Universe Boss’ had recently also met another former team owner – Preity Zinta – in the United States. Mallya, chairman of the now closed Kingfisher Airlines, who was ordered to be extradited by the British judiciary in 2019, is yet to be sent to India.

India and the UK had signed an extradition treaty in 1992. This was ratified the following year and has been in force since. Yet, only two individuals - one of them voluntarily - have been returned to India.

Mallya is wanted in India to face fraud and money laundering charges and remains on bail in the UK while a “confidential" legal process is completed. Even though his extradition to India was ordered by the UK government in February 2019, Mallya opted for various legal avenues to contest the order in British courts. He is reportedly relying on an application seeking political asylum in the UK.