A colourful, explosive beginning

The fusion of art forms from East and West was symbolic of the message the 16-day tournament conveys, a global cricketing village and the desire to uphold the spirit of the game. As if to assert the point, the captains of the 12 participating teams inked the player declaration depicting the Spirit of the Game.

Lalit Modi, Chairman of the Champions League Governing Council, declared the tournament open.

“Ladies and Gentleman, it’s good to be back in Bangalore and I declare the Champions League open,” Modi announced, with a packed house roaring in anticipation and approval.

For a moment the memory of the entire gathering might have gone back to the Indian Premier League opening ceremony held at the same venue some 15 months ago, just that this time the performance was all the more astounding.

A troika of musicians – Chaka Khan, Shaggy and Jameila – forced the Bangaloreans onto their feet with their hit as they rendered their solo numbers. They responded with quick steps to racy numbers like ‘Feel The Rush’ and ‘I Feel For You’ that thundered through the M Chinnaswamy stadium.

A huge wave of enthusiasm rushed through them when AR Rahman’s tune, ‘O Hayyoo,’ specially made for the Champions League blurted through the pulsating 5000 MW loud speakers.

The laser beams of thousand colours fluttered around the stadium, providing an ethereal touch to the proceedings while the mindboggling flexibility of Shaolin monks and Kalaripayattu artists, probably, portrayed the thrill-a-second nature of the Twenty20 format.

The climax was breathtakingly explosive with the sky above the venue turning into a canvas of myriad colours as fireworks rumbled on.

Perhaps, it was a fitting sign of things to come – a concoction of high quality cricket and heart-stopping entertainment.