Sanjiv Goenka, Chairperson of the RP–Sanjiv Goenka (RPSG) Group, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after mispronouncing the name of Australian cricket legend Meg Lanning during an official announcement video. While unveiling the latest signings for the Manchester Super Giants (MSG), RPSG’s newly acquired franchise in The Hundred, Goenka repeatedly referred to Lanning as “Meg Canning,” even as on-screen subtitles correctly displayed her name.
The video, which introduced both the men’s and women’s squads, quickly went viral, with fans pointing out that the awkwardness was largely limited to the women’s segment. Goenka’s description of England star Sophie Ecclestone also raised eyebrows, as he reduced one of the world’s premier spinners to simply “a good spinner,” a remark many felt lacked awareness and respect for her stature in the game.
“For the women’s team, it’s a combination of experience and youth,” Goenka said in the clip. “Sophie Ecclestone from England, 26 years, a good spinner. Meg ‘Canning’, somebody who’s been part of seven World Cup campaigns, several victories. Smriti Mandhana from India, our own Smriti Mandhana, again a proven match-winner.”
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Fans were quick to react, with several comments mocking the mispronunciation and questioning the seriousness with which women’s cricket was being treated. One user wrote that it was astonishing how the women players’ names were the ones being mispronounced, while another sarcastically joked about Goenka confidently saying “Meg Canning” on camera.
It’s one thing to not know the players. But getting their name wrong is a different level of unprofessionalism.
The fact that it’s been left in the video as it is and no one noticed/corrected it, makes it so disrespectful.
Meg “Canning”. Unreal! https://t.co/dK5aPXJQCB
— Jeet Vachharajani (Women’s 🏏) (@Jeetv27WC) January 15, 2026
Who’s Meg Canning? Why does this bloke go out of his way to embarrass himself at any given time? https://t.co/kNF1Hl9BNF
— Shiv (@ForwardDefence) January 15, 2026
Meg ‘Canning’ https://t.co/2zi0jPuDND pic.twitter.com/ieydi6H8vb
— you (@_utsavojha) January 16, 2026
The backlash comes at a time when RPSG’s acquisition of the Manchester Originals and their rebranding as Manchester Super Giants is already under scrutiny. The decision to replace the club’s minimalist logo with an elephant-inspired design has also been criticised by local fans, who feel it lacks any cultural connection to Manchester or English cricket.
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For Goenka, the episode adds to an image problem that has followed him from the IPL, where his management style at Lucknow Super Giants has often been questioned. This latest slip has only intensified the debate around ownership sensitivity and representation in global franchise cricket.
