Salman Khan recently addressed the possibility of owning an IPL team while attending the World Padel League event in Mumbai. The Bollywood superstar was present to support his brother, Sohail Khan, who owns the "Khan Tigers" team in the league.

During an interaction with the media at the World Padel League Season 3 kick-off conference, Salman Khan was asked if he had ever considered owning a team in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Responding with his characteristic wit, Salman stated that they were offered a team a long time ago but didn't take it. He further added that they are content with the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), as it aligns more with their style of "tennis ball cricket, gully cricket," which they actually play. He implied that the "big leagues" weren't really for them.

This isn't the first time Salman Khan's interest in owning an IPL team has surfaced. Back in 2009, he expressed a desire to acquire a team and had discussions with Lalit Modi, the then IPL Commissioner. He clarified that his interest wasn't driven by any ego clash with Shah Rukh Khan, who co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Salman had stated that he wanted to buy one of the two new teams that were going to be introduced.

Despite his earlier interest, Salman later tweeted in 2012 that he wouldn't be investing in an IPL team, stating, "No IPL team for me, just being human and movies".

More recently, Salman Khan has become the owner of the Delhi franchise in the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL). The league officially announced his association on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. The ISPL is a 10-overs-per-side tennis ball cricket league. Several Bollywood stars own teams in the ISPL, including Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Akshay Kumar, Suriya, Hrithik Roshan, and Ram Charan.

Sohail Khan expressed optimism about the World Padel League's growth, hoping it would reach the scale of the IPL one day. He emphasized the importance of Indian athletes participating in padel to boost the league's popularity and the role of media promotion in encouraging kids to take up the sport. The World Padel League blends sports and entertainment, attracting celebrities and athletes.

The third season of the World Padel League, co-founded by tennis icon Mahesh Bhupathi, is scheduled to take place from August 12 to 16 at the NESCO Center in Goregaon, Mumbai. This season features six franchises and 36 international players.