When BCCI Top Official Rajeev Shukla Deceived Apple CEO Tim Cook Over His Popularity In India
Apple CEO Tim Cook watched an IPL game between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in Kanpur.
- Rajeev Shukla revealed Tim Cook's IPL 2016 match was moved from Visakhapatnam to Kanpur
- Cook thought the huge crowd in Kanpur was there to catch of glimpse of him, to which Shukla played along
- However, Shukla recalled that actor Sanjay Dutt also attended the game, and the fans were there for him
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla has revealed the inside details behind Apple CEO Tim Cook's appearance during an IPL match in 2016. Cook watched an IPL game between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in Kanpur. However, Shukla has now revealed that Tim was supposed to attend a game in Visakhapatnam, not Kanpur. Shukla made the revelation while speaking in a video uploaded on UP T20 League's YouTube channel.
The former IPL chairman revealed that Cook couldn't make it in time for the game at Vizag, as his flight from Beijing got delayed.
"Tim Cook messaged me that he wanted to watch cricket. IPL was very popular, and he wanted to watch. We invited him to a game at Visakhapatnam. I then got a call from him that they were stuck at the Beijing airport for two hours after the take-off time. He said they would land at 2 AM IST. I told him that the game would end by 11 PM," said Shukla.
Shukla admitted that while it must've been challenging for Cook to watch the game in Kanpur, the Apple CEO not only attended the contest but also enjoyed local street food.
"He then asked me where the next game would be. I told him it was in Kanpur, and it would be difficult for them to come there. Then I got a call from him on that day that he was flying from Hyderabad to Kanpur. He flew down, came to Kanpur. I made him have chaats there," he added.
Notably, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt also attended the game, and fans had gathered in huge numbers to catch a glimpse of him. Shukla recalled a hilarious conversation with Cook, who thought that the crowd was there to watch him.
"Sanjay Dutt had also come to watch that game. The stadium was full but there were many people outside as well. Tim Cook and I were in one car, and Sanjay Dutt was in the one behind us. There was a lot of crowd, and Tim Cook told me that 'it seems I am very popular here'. I said everybody knows you and wants a glimpse of you. But the crowd was for Sanjay Dutt," Shukla recalled.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Gujarat Lions