Cricket first, shaadi later

Business, glamour and cricket – a merger doesn’t get headier than this.

Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia and the stars of their Mohali IPL team are aware of this edge they enjoy. So as Preity and Ness go about deciding the promotions and logistics of their Kings XI Punjab, they are sure of one thing – they need no star presence.

Uh, but don’t they already have enough in form of Preity? “I may be the glam quotient but we have enough players who are brands in themselves and need no endorsements. With players like Yuvi, Sree, Irfan and Brett, my work becomes simpler,” Preity says.

So, they need no ambassador for their team, a la Akshay Kumar for Delhi Daredevils? “Like I said, my boys don’t need a brand endorsement. This game is not about which Bollywood celebrity is backing which team. I am here because of the passion for sports,” is Preity’s answer.

Over to her much quieter beau, Ness. “Isn’t she something?” Ness says about his girl and takes over from where she left, “This is not just about glamour or fun. The whole series is going to be serious cricket as well. And honestly, I think the T20 format is great. For someone like me who checks scores only in the 9 pm news because I am busy throughout the day, 20-20 is just the format to watch.”

And how have they shared the work? “I am taking care of the creatives in the team. Starting from the uniforms to the anthem and the promotions, I have put my head in everything. I am happy the way everything is taking shape and Ness has been so supportive,” says Preity. Ness adds, “She is the spirit of the team.” And amidst all this, does marriage strike a chord? “Whenever that happens, we shall let you know, but right now the focus is on cricket,” is the unanimous response.

Mandvi Sharma, TNN