MUMBAI: Telugu actor Vishnu Manchu has picked up a stake in the Indian Cricket League’s Hyderabad team.

Manchu has picked up a minority stake holding in Hyderabad Heroes. ICL plans to form eight individual companies for the eight teams each representing an important geographical region of the country. This will give opportunities for potential sponsors and sports investors to double their advantage by becoming minority stakeholders and brand builders.

ICL executive board member Kiran More said, "On behalf of ICL, I welcome on board the Telugu film industry superstar Vishnu Manchu as an investor and enthusiastic cricketer. Vishnu’s impressive credentials as an entrepreneur & his popularity in Hyderabad adds solidity to ICL’s objective of promoting domestic Indian cricket."

Manchu added, "Initiative like ICL should be welcomed and promoted by all those people who have the passion like me for the game. When you have stalwarts and champions like Kapil Dev and Kiran More leading from the front for the betterment of the game, people who are like minded should take this opportunity to help fulfill dreams of young budding cricketing talent. I promise to make all efforts to take my team and company, ICL Heroes Sports Pvt. Ltd. to a higher level of quality cricket and cricketers. What I like about ICL is the focused approach of providing quality cricket for millions of cricket lovers."

More said, "With eminent personalities like Mithun Chakrabarty (stakeholder of Royal Bengal Tigers) and now Vishnu Manchu aligning with the Indian Cricket League, it’s my full confidence and unshakeable belief that ICL will play an important role in strengthening domestic Indian cricket."