IPL-10 opens with fanfare

The ceremony started with former Indian players Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and VVX Laxman were called on stage for felicitations. They were presented with a bat.

Tendulkar credited IPL for taking cricket to even the remote corners of the world. “Cricket has gone to those countries which do not follow cricket. It is all because of IPL. Good cricket should be played in right spirit. That’s why people come in huge number to enjoy this game,” he said. 

Sehwag said he was not bothered about the format of the game when he played cricket. “I hit the ball whether it is Test, ODI or T20I cricket. I believe in the aggressive style,” said Sehwag. A video montage provided a quick recap of the winners of the previous nine editions that has seen Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders lift the IPL trophy twice. 

Soon captains of last year’s finalists Virat Kohli (RCB) and David Warner (Sunrisers) posed with the trophy. Sunrisers and RCB played the first match of IPL-10 too. IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla had said that unlike past editions, the 10th edition would have eight opening ceremonies. 

In Hyderabad, it was Bollywood star Amy Jackson who performed before the start. She came in golden outfit, grooving to the beats of “Haseeno ka Deewana”, a popular song remixed for the 2017 Bollywood movie, Kaabil. She shook a leg to “Chull”, from the movie Baar Baar Dekho.and ended with “Kala Chashma”, a blockbuster song from Baar Baar Dekho. 

The official digital signing of the eight captains and bringing the trophy back for this season was part of the opening ceremony.