During his time at Nokia, the brand also built a salience within the Indian households by repeatedly betting big on cricket. The brand started its long-lasting tie-up with the Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by its brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan. Nokia also sponsored the 2011 Champions League Twenty20 and the 2009 T20 World Cup, under Shivakumar’s management. In fact, Nokia India was one of the few brands willing to bet on Indian cricket and sponsor the first T20 World Cup hosted by South Africa in 2007, in which India defeated Pakistan in the finals.