Heavy rain on Tuesday came in the way of what was to be a glitzy opening ceremony of Indian Premier League’s eighth edition, leaving fans at the decked-up Salt Lake stadium disappointed, with prayers on their lips.
The grand opening ceremony includes performances, featuring Bollywood superstars Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Anushka Sharma, Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor.
“We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience but at the same time we are thankful for being patient. We will need approximately half an hour to start the show after the rain stops,” an organiser said.
The seats were limited to 30,000 only at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan but thousands were seen outside the stadium desperate for a last-minute entry.
Thundershowers began around 7 pm forcing the organisers to turn off the lights and music that entertained the crowd since the gates opened.
After pulling off a controversy-free tournament last year, the organisers would again be hoping for a smooth run when the 47-day tournament, marred by a spot-fixing scandal in 2013, kick starts with the opening night.
In the tournament opener defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
Also read: Kolkata gears up for IPL opening night celebration
Source: thehindu.com
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