No Gala Opening Ceremony

BCCI to donate funds to families of Pulwama terror attack victims

Chennai: The 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) Season is a lot different from what it traditionally has been. A major change came in the 12th edition of the cash-rich franchise League when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided against organising a Gala Opening Ceremony before the start of the first game of the Season this evening.

The decision was taken in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack that shook the country on Feb. 14. Instead of spending money on a curtain-raiser event, the BCCI decided to allocate the same funds towards the welfare of the families of more than 40 CRPF Jawans who had lost their lives in the dastardly terror attack that took place in the Valley.

“We won’t have a regular IPL Opening Ceremony. The amount will be given to families of CRPF victims,” the BCCI CoA Vinod Rai has confirmed.

The idea was finalised by BCCI Acting President C.K. Khanna, who had officially submitted the proposal for the Board to donate at least Rs. 5 crore for the martyrs’ families.

“I am very happy that CoA has taken a good call to donate the money for martyrs’ families. Since the entire budget allocated for the IPL opening ceremony is being donated for a noble cause, the amount is expected to be significantly more than Rs. 5 crore,” Khanna said.

It is learnt that a total sum of Rs. 15 crore was earmarked for the opening ceremony and a similar amount would instead be donated to the soldiers’ families.

The season, hence, will begin straight with the first game at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai at 8 pm where defending Champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Tough test for RCB in CSK den: The last time RCB won against CSK in the IPL was in 2014, while the last time they won at the Chepauk was in 2008. The twelfth season of India’s showpiece T20 tournament gets underway with a mammoth clash this evening.

For the opening match, RCB, led by India captain Virat Kohli, travelled to the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, home of numerous glories for CSK, the team led by former India captain M.S. Dhoni.

Banned for two years till 2017, CSK were forced to play all but one home match in Pune last season, with protests over the Cauvery water dispute having forced the BCCI to shift matches out of Chennai. CSK are making a return to their favourite stadium this Season.

For RCB, statistics do not paint a positive picture. Despite a bright start, they finished  sixth on the table last season. With some criticism having been directed towards Virat Kohli’s captaincy in India colours in recent times, the heat is on him to lead RCB to a good finish  this time.