Kolkata take on Delhi in the opening match of IPL 6 on Wednesday.
Kolkata's night sky lights up as fireworks bring the ceremony towards its fantastic end!
The singer and songwriter has been setting the music stage on fire since his first album came out in 2001. He has since won several awards including MTV Europe Music Awards, American Music Awards, Peoples Choice Awards and Teen Choice Awards. (Image courtesy: BCCI)
(Image courtesy: BCCI)
Katrina makes way for 'Don' Shah Rukh Khan!
Coming up: SRK!
(Image courtesy: BCCI)
Coming up: The Bollywood starlets!
Deja vu for not just the players but fans as well!
A huge cheer for the local captain as Gautam Gambhir walks out.
The team had disappointing outings in IPL but all that changed last year when they beat Chennai Super Kings to claim their maiden title.
Kumar Sangakkara is on the field and is representing the only new team playing in this edition - Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Angelo Matthews makes his way to the ground to sign the pledge. The Sri Lankan was promoted to the post of skipper of Pune Warriors India and will now look to reverse the team's fortunes.
All eyes are on Virat Kohli as the dashing batsman comes out in Royal Challengers Bangalore jersey. He is leading the team and RCB fans will feel it is high time their side make solid performances count and last all the way to the final.
Rahul Dravid makes his way out. The skipper-cum-coach of the Rajasthan Royals told NDTV earlier that his side is aiming for a top-4 finish this year.
The Royals won the inaugural edition of the tournament under Shane Warne but since have not impressed too many.
Adam Gilchrist has been a maverick cricketer for years. At the helm of the Kings XI Punjab team, the wicket-keeper batsman walks out to the middle.
Team ProfileFirst up CSK's MS Dhoni.
This is an extremely colourful, highly spirited performance straightaway - very symbolic of what IPL cricket is all about.
Shah Rukh Khan starts proceedings with one of the greatest poems by one of the greatest poets - Rabindranath Tagore:
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Born in 1861, Tagore is one the best known poet and literary figures and an ode to the Nobel laureate through this poem is a celebration of not just Bengali culture but of Indian literary richness.
This poem is one of two written by Tagore, also revered as 'Thakur', which galvanized India's independence movement and was included in the Nobel prize winning Gitanjali. This, in Bengali, is titled "Chitto Jetha Bhayshunyo" and was translated by Tagore himself.
The other poem of course is Ekla Cholo Re.
"Don't think of the pressure. It is an all new edition. Of course, Gambhir is quite a funny guy too," says the player who led CSK to the title twice.
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Manoj Tiwary tweets: Off 2 d openin ceremony !!! Sud b exciting evenin
Here is what Amul thinks of the episode.
They are not the only ones excited as Iqbal Abdullah and Yusuf Pathan tweet this image. (Courtesy: KKR official Twitter account)
Waving flags of gold and purple, most seem to be cheering the local team - Kolkata Knight Riders. Their team won the title last year and can stage an encore this year.
Read about the ambiance here
Shah Rukh has said it will be a never-seen-before event
