Top Bangladeshi spinner Mohammad Rafique said Sunday he had received an offer to join Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's team for the inaugural Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL).
The left-arm spinner, who will retire from international cricket after an upcoming home series against South Africa, said he got the call to play for Khan's Kolkata team, expected to be led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly.
"He offered for me to play for his team. I was just awe-struck by the call from no other than my favourite hero Shah Rukh Khan," Rafique said. "I told him I would be available after the South African series. Ganguly's brother and the team's agent have been keeping in touch with me. We will have final talks after the series."
South Africa arrive in Bangladesh next week to play two Tests and three one-day internationals, with the first Test starting in Mirpur on February 22. The 44-day IPL begins on April 18 and will be contested by eight teams playing in 12 Indian cities.
Corporate czars and film stars have poured millions of dollars into the venture to entice the world's best to take to the field at the height of the Indian summer. Franchisees include billionaire industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya, and Bollywood actors Khan and Preity Zinta.