New Delhi, April 12 (IANS): Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kings XI Punjab Saturday announced the appointment of Fraser Castellino as its new chief operating officer (COO).

Fraser has over a decade’s experience of working in the sports industry. Besides leadership roles in the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals, he has also been instrumental in setting up the Sahara Group’s polo and other non-cricketing ventures.

“We are pleased to have Fraser Castellino as our new COO. We are confident that his vast experience in the sports field, especially IPL, will benefit KXIP. His vision and guidance will help us grow further. With a new and strong squad along with Fraser in the management, we are upbeat and looking forward to a great tournament this year, both on-and-off the field,” Kings XI Punjab said in a release.

Castellino thanked the KXIP management for his appointment.

“It is an absolute honour for me to be a part of KXIP and I would like to thank the management for showing this faith in me. Having been a part of the IPL since its inception, I am looking forward to replicating a similar success with the franchise. With a brand new team and a fully charged fan base, the season looks extremely promising for the team,” said Castellino.

Kings XI Punjab is one of the eight IPL teams. It is held and promoted by a consortium which includes Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta and Karan Paul.

While the IPL starts April 16, the Punjab-based team play their first match April 18 against the Chennai Super Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium at Abu Dhabi.