IPL 2019 | Pre-recorded video of captains' fair-play pledge to feature in opening ceremony
BCCI
As a measure to give the captains more time to practice with their respective squads, the skippers of all eight teams travelled to Chennai and signed a pledge to play the game in fair spirit. The 2019 season of the IPL will start on March 23 as Chennai Super Kings play Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is just a day away and will see the opening game feature MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings go up against Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chepauk on Saturday. However, before the start of the tournament, the organisers will display a pre-recorded video which features all eight IPL team captains’ fair-play pledge.
The eight teams competing in the IPL include Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Mumbai Indians (MI), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC).
AÂ senior BCCI official has revealed that the pledge was being pre-recorded during the captains' meet which was held in Chennai recently. This was done so that all of them can go back to their respective franchises well in time for their opening games of the upcoming season.
"The captains are in Chennai today for the captains' meet as well as to sign the pledge so that all the leaders can go back to their respective teams before their opening games. They will head back to their respective franchises on Friday. With the opening ceremony being cancelled this year and the funds budgeted for the same to be handed to the families of the Pulwama martyrs, there will be a small screening wherein the pre-recorded signing of the pledge by the captains will be shown," the official told IANS.
The pre-recorded pledge will be shown in the Spirit of Cricket segment during the opening ceremony. It will be the only occasion during the tournament when all the captains will share the stage.
"Had the signing of the pledge happened before the start of the IPL opener, all the captains would have flown back late on Saturday night or Sunday morning. This would have meant keeping the captains of KKR, SRH, MI and DC away from their teams on the eve of their opening match as all the four teams play on Sunday. Pre-recording the pledge on the sidelines of the captains' meet is a decision taken keeping everyone's interest in mind," the official added.
