“Phenomenon Beyond Cinema”: Jay Shah presents World Cup golden ticket to Rajinikanth

CHENNAI: The Board of Cricket Council of India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah on Tuesday handed a golden ticket to megastar Rajinikanth for the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

Ten teams will feature in this Cricket World Cup, across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19, with the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosting the tournament opener and the final.

The event will feature 48 matches to be played across 46 days.

The BCCI took X (formerly Twitter) to share a picture of Jay Shah presenting Thalaiva with the special 'Golden Ticket'.

"The Phenomenon Beyond Cinema! The BCCI Honorary Secretary @JayShah presented the golden ticket to @rajinikanth, the true embodiment of charisma and cinematic brilliance. The legendary actor has left an indelible mark on the hearts of millions, transcending language and culture. We are thrilled to announce that Thalaiva will grace the @ICC @cricketworldcup 2023 as our distinguished guest and will light up the biggest cricketing spectacle with his presence," BCCI wrote.

Earlier, the BCCI Secretary had presented batting legend Sachin Tendulkar with the 'Golden Ticket' on September 8.

Amitabh Bachchan also received this special ticket on September 5.

India will begin their World Cup campaign on October 8 against Australia at Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

They will be playing eight matches in the league stage.

The clash between India and Pakistan was originally slated to take place in Ahmedabad on Sunday, October 15, but this clash has been moved a day earlier and will now be held at the same venue on October 14.