CCI approves Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla acquisition of Rajasthan Royals and two other franchises

On September 18, 2026 in New Delhi, the Competition Commission of India approved the acquisition by industrialist Lakshmi N. Mittal and his son Aditya Mittal, together with Adar Poonawalla, of the Rajasthan Royals (India) and two other professional cricket franchises, an official release said on Thursday.

The clearance covers the purchases of Rajasthan Royals (India), Paarl Royals (South Africa) and Barbados Royals (Barbados) by Westview Cricket Ltd and Poonawalla Sports and Fitness Pvt Ltd, the release said, and the transaction value is around $1.65 billion.

Westview Cricket Ltd, the release stated, is a company registered in the United Kingdom and is owned by the Lakshmi Mittal family; Poonawalla Sports and Fitness Pvt Ltd is owned by Adar Cyrus Poonawalla.

EM Sporting Holdings Ltd (EMSH), a private company incorporated in Mauritius, was identified in the release as the holding company for Royal Multisport Pvt Ltd (RMPL), Paarl Royals Ltd and Barbados Royals Ltd.

The release said RMPL owns and operates the Rajasthan Royals franchise, which participates in the Indian Premier League T20 cricket tournament organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The official statement noted that deals beyond a certain threshold require approval from the CCI, and described the regulator’s role as monitoring unfair business practices and promoting fair competition in the marketplace.

The CCI announcement on Thursday therefore provides the regulatory approval referenced in the release for the roughly $1.65 billion transaction.