Shah Rukh Khan creates cricket history in the US

LOS ANGELES: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has added another remarkable chapter to his sporting legacy after the Knight Riders Group inaugurated its first international-standard cricket stadium outside its home market, marking a major milestone for the growth of cricket in the United States.

The newly built Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Los Angeles officially hosted its first Major League Cricket (MLC) match, where the Los Angeles Knight Riders faced Washington Freedom. The occasion was celebrated as a historic moment for American cricket, reflecting the sport’s rapidly expanding footprint across the country.

The state-of-the-art venue has been designed as much more than a cricket stadium. According to the Knight Riders Group, the facility aims to become a permanent hub for cricket in Los Angeles, bringing together sports, entertainment, families and the local community under one roof.

Built to international standards, the ground features an eight-pitch main square, an ICC-compliant playing field and six towering 120-foot floodlight masts, enabling day-night matches at the highest level. The ambitious project also required the relocation of more than 32,000 metric tons of soil, highlighting the scale of the development.

Sharing his excitement over the achievement, Shah Rukh Khan said a dream envisioned years ago had finally become reality.

“A dream that was imagined years ago has now come true,” the Bollywood icon said, adding that the vision extended far beyond hosting cricket matches. He described the stadium as a place where sport, entertainment and community can thrive together while inspiring future generations of players.

Knight Riders Sports CEO Venky Mysore called the project a key part of the franchise’s long-term global strategy, emphasizing that world-class infrastructure is essential for expanding cricket into new markets. He said the Los Angeles venue represents the group’s commitment to developing the sport in North America.

The Knight Riders Group has steadily built one of cricket’s most successful global franchise networks. It currently owns four teams across three continents, including the Kolkata Knight Riders, Trinbago Knight Riders, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Los Angeles Knight Riders. Collectively, the franchise has captured nine major titles across various leagues.

The opening of the Los Angeles stadium is widely viewed as a landmark step for American cricket and further strengthens the United States’ growing reputation as one of the sport’s most promising emerging markets. With world-class facilities now in place, the Knight Riders Group hopes to inspire a new generation of players and fans while accelerating cricket’s rise across North America.