Actor Varun Sharma set to host IPL 2021’s UAE leg: Report

‘Fukrey’ actor Varun Sharma will reportedly be a part of the hosting panel of the Indian Premier League’s UAE leg. The season, which had been postponed in May, will resume on September 19 with archrivals Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings locking horns in the blockbuster Sunday game. 

Varun is known for playing ‘Choocha’ in commercial hit comedy ‘Fukrey’ and its second installment. The 31-year-old has also delivered several box office pleasers like ‘Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon’, ‘Dilwale’ and ‘Chhichhore’. His latest release ‘Roohi’, a horror comedy, came out in March, 2021. With his roles in all these films, Varun has established himself as a bankable player in the comedy genre. 

Also read: IPL 2021: Best of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians

Media reports suggested that Varun Sharma has been approached to do a special collaboration for the second leg of the current IPL season.

“Varun will be shooting from the Star Sports office from the 19th September. He has been roped in to do live commentary for matches. This time the channel wants to engage the audience to give them a heightened experiential feel of the match. Considering the on-ground audience might be curtailed due to Covid protocols, the channel wants to offer an intimate vibe to its viewers. Varun’s affability was a big draw for them. His next-door-boy relatability factor coupled with his interest in the sport made them get Sharma on board,” Outlook quoted sources. 

Also read: IPL 2021: How the teams fared in the India leg

With Varun on the panel, one might expect several funny moments, quick-witted repartee and plenty jokes in the pre and post match shows. He is the first Bollywood actor to be signed on for this leg’s IPL matches.

The first leg of the IPL 2021 was disrupted by COVID-19 cases that emerged across the eight teams’ bio-bubbles. Played in India, thr April-May session saw hosting veterans Mayanti Langer, Sanjana Ganesan, Mandira Bedi, Archana Vijaya and Isa Guha host the extra innings shows. The second leg of the tournament is taking place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

Mumbai Indians take on Chennai Super Kings at 7:30 PM on Sunday at Abu Dhabi.