IPL cancels opening ceremony, donates funds to Indian armed forces instead

Guwahati, March 23, 2019:

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been flagged off today, but things will be a little different this year as the organizers, the BCCI, have decided not to host an opening ceremony for the showpiece event and instead donate the funds allocated to the IPL to the Indian armed forces instead.

Every year, the IPL blasts off with a star-studded opening ceremony, but in the wake of the Pulwama terrorist attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF troopers were martyred, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) administering the BCCI has decided to cancel the event.

"The estimated cost of hosting an IPL opening ceremony is Rs 20 crore. It was unanimously decided that a sum of Rs 11 crore be contributed to the Indian Army, Rs 7 crore to the CRPF and Rs 1 crore each to the Navy and Air Force respectively," the IPL said in a statement on Saturday.

The event will conclude on Sunday, 19 May, 2019.