Mumbai, 6 October 2009 - The Garden City of Bengaluru will be the epicentre of Indian and global cricket fans alike as the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 kicks-off tomorrow night. The cricketing quotient aside, fans will be treated to an eye-catching line-up of entertainers at the Grand Opening Ceremony at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The Opening Ceremony, executed by DNA Entertainment Networks, promises to be a breath-taking visual extravaganza which will showcase world-class international acts and the global nature of the tournament. It promises to be the most extensive half hour of entertainment ever conceived and executed in India.
Just prior to the commencement of the Opening Ceremony, the 12 team captains participating in the inaugural edition of the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 will exchange team flags and take the "MCC - Spirit of Cricket" oath to respect their opponents, their teams and their umpires. The captains will then leave their handprints in clay, as an attestation to play the game within the spirit of cricket. Meanwhile 200 school children will perform a choreographed sequence to the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 theme song before revealing the team logos and releasing balloons.
The Opening Ceremony's entertainment will then kick-off in earnest with 12 world-renowned Japanese drummers electrifying the atmosphere within Chinnaswamy Stadium. This will be followed by international dancers in "Michelle Ferranti's" costumes.
Legendary Grammy award winner CHAKA KHAN will then take centre stage to entertain the crowd and viewing audience with her hit single "I FEEL FOR YOU".
Chaka Khan will be followed by the acrobatic Cube Artists. Next on from China, will be a choreographed group of Shaolin Monks displaying Tai Chi, Kung Fu and powerful Chi Kung movements in an adrenalin-packed sequence, surrounded by the agile Kalaripayattu Artists using an ancient South Indian art form. The weaponry, choreography and fast-paced techniques by these Indo-Chinese performers will leave the audience spellbound as it will depict the aggression and spirit with which the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 will be played.
World renowned reggae artist and Grammy Award winner SHAGGY will then perform his hit single "FEEL THE RUSH", accompanied by a multi-coloured laser show which will encase the entire stadium. To complement this, eight wind dancers will engulf the stadium to give fans a surreal effect.
British pop star JAMELIA will then take over with her international super hit song "SUPERSTAR".
For the grand finale, all the artists, including the children, will converge onto the field to a synchronized segment of lights, laser, concert sound and a display of fireworks that will come together to make for a spectacular climax.
Tickets have been priced attractively between INR 200/- to 1500/- and are available online at
www.ticketgenie.in. Tickets are also available at the venue and at multiple outlets in the city like select Café Coffee Day and UCO Bank branches.
About Airtel Champions League Twenty20
An initiative of three founding members, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 is a platform where the world's best domestic teams get the opportunity to pit their cricketing skills against each other. The first edition of the league will be played at three venues - Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore - from October 8-23, 2009. ESPN STAR Sports is the commercial rights holder for the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 for a period of 10 years.
