Mumbai, Jan 11 (PTI): Bollywood newcomer Kriti Sanon has replaced Huma Qureshi as the brand ambassador of Sohail Khan's Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) franchise's brand ambassador, sparking rumours the "Badlapur" actress was removed due to her link-up reports with the filmmaker.

Huma was signed as the brand ambassador of Sohail's franchise Mumbai Heroes just last year. Around the same time rumours surfaced that she came close to Sohail, who is married to designer Seema and has two sons with her.

The 29-year-old actress recently denied the rumour, calling Sohail her "elder brother".

Asked about Huma's absence as the brand ambassador this year, Sohail said the team did not have her dates.

"Unfortunately, she can't be a part of this season, because we don't have her dates... We can't actually afford a lot of brand ambassadors. We got Kriti this year, Taapsee (Pannu) this year. We got a lot of people who will volunteer to come according to the dates," the 45-year-old director- actor told reporters here at the launch of season six of CCL.

"As a brand ambassador you are expected to come on all days and promote the team. So she won't be able to be the poster girl for the league, unfortunately she can't be that this year... But we have big linunup coming up for our games," the "Jai Ho" director said.

Sohail said his brother, superstar Salman Khan, who has been associated with CCL since a long time, will come for a few matches.

"This time our home ground is Ahemdabad. Salman is the poster boy of CCL, he can come on our home ground and we can see him... If we reach semi-final and final then hopefully he can come then as well."

CCL 6 kicks off from January 23. 7