First time the IPL has scheduled the opening ceremony a day before the first game, and at a different ground altogether- the YMCA College of Physical Education.
Headlining the night will be American pop star Katy Perry, who will belt out some of her No. 1 hits like Teenage Dream, Hot Cold and California Gurls.
Bollywood and the cash-rich league have gone hand-in-hand over the last four years, and it will be no different this time either, with mega star Amitabh Bachchan , Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra set to perform on the night, dubbed IPL Opening Nite .
The legendary dancer and actor Prabhu Deva, will also enthrall the crowd with his unique style, as will the reunited band Colonial Cousins, featuring Hariharan and Leslie Lewis, who created some memorable fusion numbers like Sa Ni Dha Pa in the 1990s.
Tickets for the ceremony start at Rs.1,500, though not much information has been shared about the event by the organisers. The captains of all nine teams will provide the cricketing flavour to the event, when they sign the MCC’s Spirit of Cricket Pledge.
The tournament proper will kick off on Wednesday with holders Chennai Super Kings taking on last year’s Champions League Twenty20 winners Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
