Capri Sports have raised the bar a notch higher, as they bring in Stand-up Comedian Zakir Khan as CJO “Chief Journey Officer” and tasking him to scout the new Head Coach for Season 4 of Women Premier League.
The UP Warriorz, one of the founding teams of WPL, who are owned by Capri Sports, announced Abhishek Nayar as the Head Coach for Season 4 of the WPL through a bold campaign “Coach ki Khoj”, delivered by the cultural icon Zakir Khan.
With the UP Warriorz’s fans in mind, an unconventional opening was listed, for a “Chief Journey Officer”- a fictional role aimed at bringing the team’s fans into the heart of the journey. Answering the call was Zakir Khan, who cheekily renamed himself the “Chief Jugaad Officer” and set off on a spirited mission to find the team’s next head coach.
The trail led Zakir to Bombay Scottish School, the nostalgic alma mater of the newly appointed head coach, Abhishek Nayar. What followed was a humorous, and unforgettable announcement featuring Zakir’s signature wit, a playground full of excited children, and nostalgia for Nayar.
Zakir Khan, the well-known Indian stand-up comedian, has a strong personal and creative connection with cricket. He is an avid cricket fan and often references the sport both as a metaphor in his comedy and as part of his personal interests. Becoming the face of UP Warriorz fans, is another proclamation towards this love.
This creative reveal adds to UP Warriorz’s growing legacy of trendsetting and eye-catching campaigns from “Papa Ki Warriorz” to social-forward initiatives like the “Trash Talk Cleanup” with Navya Nanda, and pop-culture integrations featuring Katrina Kaif, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi, and digital sensation Mithika Dwivedi. With “Coach ki Khoj”, UP Warriorz have once again blended cricket, nostalgia, and entertainment in a way that’s designed to win hearts across the country, and specially in Uttar Pradesh.
Jinisha Sharma, Director, Capri Sports, said, “This wasn’t just a campaign, it was a full circle moment. Both Abhishek and I went to Bombay Scottish, albeit at different times, so going back to school to announce him as Head Coach felt incredibly special. And when it came to telling that story, Zakir was a natural choice. He’s not only a brilliant storyteller but also a die-hard cricket fan who connects effortlessly with audiences. We knew this moment needed heart, humour, and nostalgia and Zakir brought all of that and more.”
Renowned stand-up comedian, Zakir Khan said, “It was really fun to take on the ‘Coach ki Khoj’ for the UP Warriorz and was truly great to interact with Abhishek Nayar and UPW management through the course of this campaign. And I am looking forward to collaborating and working closely with the UP Warriorz and connecting with the fans in the future, so we can all create moments that stay with us forever.”
About Capri Sports
Capri Sports is part of Capri Global Holding’s portfolio and its interest varies across sectors through its subsidiary companies. Key ventures of the Group are a Non-Banking Financial Company, a Housing Finance Company, and the Sports Venture (Owner of franchises in Women’s Premier League, UAE ILT20 League, Kho Kho League and Pro-Kabaddi League). The Group Company, Capri Global Capital Limited (CGCL) is a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) listed on the BSE and NSE and is part of the NIFTY Smallcap 250 Index. The Company operates in high-growth segments such as MSME Loans, Affordable Housing Finance, Gold Loan, and Construction Finance. The Company also acts as a corporate distributor for car loan products of leading commercial banks. CGCL offers its loan products to the unbanked and underserved masses across Northern and Western geographies of the country, through its strong network of 1100+ branches spread across 19 States and Union Territories.