Scandal-hit industrialist Vijay Mallya has been finally replaced as the owner of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise Barbados Tridents. The USA-based CMG Companies took over the beleaguered franchise with immediate effect on Saturday (May 18).

Mallya, who is battling against extradition from the United Kingdom to India, doesn’t own any franchise in the world of sports now. He had to give away IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore and Formula One team Force India due to financial woes as well.

CMG Companies formerly owned the Jamaica Tallawahs from 2014 to 2016. Principal of CMG Manish Patel said they were eager to get started.

“Selling our ownership rights of the winning Jamaica Tallawahs held from 2014-2016 was the right move for us as a business, but we missed being involved in the Region and in CPL. When the chance to purchase the Tridents came along we were delighted, especially with the opportunity to bring good strong local partners onboard,” Patel said during a media briefing.

“We can’t wait to get started at enhancing the profile of this team on and off the field and to bringing a comprehensive sports entertainment package to Barbados. We will work very hard to make Barbadians proud of their team,” he added.

In a statement, CPL COO Pete Russell said: “The issues that the Tridents have faced in recent months have been well documented and are being fully addressed as a priority. We have been working tirelessly to find a solution and we believe that this international-local investor collaboration is the ideal solution.”

“This is a group of passionate cricket fans and astute business minds who have experience of successfully running a CPL franchise. The Tridents are in safe hands and the issues the franchise has faced are a thing of the past,” Russell further asserted.

The Barbados Tridents won their lone CPL title in 2014. The 2019 CPL will be played from September 4 to October 12.​

(With inputs from CricketNext)