18 April 2024 last updated at 15:13 GMT
 
Big B to launch IPL season 5
Monday 19 March 2012

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan will be a part of the IPL Season 5 opening ceremony on April 3 in Chennai, a day before the Twenty20 event kickstarts.

BCCI, the cricket governing body in India, and the IPL event managers wanted to involve Bachchan with cricket for long. Last year they approached Big B (as he is fondly known) to host the opening ceremony, but later Shah Rukh was seen hosting the event. This time it seems the deal is sealed and Bachchan is willing to participate in the ceremony.

Amitabh Bachchan tweeted: "Asia Cup over soon and then  IPL .. opening extravaganza in Chennai .. and yours truly a small part of it ...nervous as hell !!".

"They do the opening show of IPL a day before they play unlike other years .. its a separate performance at prestigious venue ..And yes the show will be on Sony ..meeting all the Captains and teams will be such an honor ..seen all of them on Tv, now personally".

"April 3rd is the day for the opening .. preparing for it already .. getting back into the grind .."

Bachchan is also a big fan of the game and has been following all the matches played by India very regularly. Even when he was unwell and hospitalised he kept a tab of what was happening on the field.

Along with Big B fans, might also see the 'Kolaveri Di' fame Dhanush perform.

ICC lacks strong leadership in current times: ex-CEO Lorgat
The former ICC boss said barring Khawaja's peace slogans on shoes showed ICC lacked consistency in applying its rules
Waugh warns cricket boards for ignoring Test cricket
Australia Great Warns ICC, BCCI Over 'Irrelevant Legacy'