Indian T20 League 2023 Opening Ceremony: All you need to know

The Indian Cricket Board plans to stage a gala opening ceremony in Ahmedabad on March 31 before the opening match between defending champions Gujarat and MS Dhoni-led Chennai as the Indian T20 League (ITL) returns to the home-and-away format after four long years.

Popular singer Arijit Singh will reportedly perform during the opening ceremony, according to Sportstar. Tamannaah Bhatia, an actress, has been confirmed to appear in the ITL opening by the league’s official handles on social media.

Arijit Singh, Tamannaah Bhatia, and Rashmika Mandanna among headliners in ITL 2023 Opening ceremony

Although the Indian Cricket Board is keeping quiet, there is a rumour that Rashmika Mandanna and a few other artists have been asked to perform at the occasion. The Narendra Modi Stadium, the biggest cricket arena in the world, may potentially host a unique laser show. The opening ceremony is scheduled to start at 6 o’clock and last for roughly 45 minutes. The Opening ceremony can be watched on Jio Cinema and Star Sports Network.

The tournament’s return to a home-and-away format means none of the 10 teams’ captains will be present at the opening ceremony. But on Wednesday, all the captains must convene in Ahmedabad for a required captain’s meeting. Hardik Pandya, the captain of the Gujarat franchise, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai franchise, will be present for the opening ceremony during Friday’s first game.

According to the organisers, the first game between Gujarat and Chennai is completely sold out. Gujarat will play a “home” game in front of their supporters for the first time. The teams did play in Ahmedabad for the ITL final the previous year, but it wasn’t a home game.

Gujarat shocked everyone in 2022 by winning the ITL title in their inaugural season, mostly thanks to the leadership of captain Hardik Pandya. The superstar debutants, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan, David Miller, and Rahul Tewatia, played wonderful cricket.

On the other hand, the four-time Indian T20 League champions Chennai, placed tenth in the competition, had a dismal campaign. As the captain, Ravindra Jadeja fell short of expectations, and after the all-rounder left his post in the middle of the match, MS Dhoni took over. Although the team finished slightly above Mumbai in a poor season, it was too little, too late.