Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva was among the other cricket boards top officials to attend BCCI’s star-studded Women’s Premier League (WPL) second edition opening ceremony at Bengaluru on Friday, Cricket Age Exclusively learns. Shammi was accompanied by SLC secretary Crysantha Kapuwatha. The Invitation came from BCCI, as Shammi is considered a close ally of Indian Board’s secretary Jay Shah.
“The ExCo and Sports Ministry approved Mr. Silva and Mr. Kapuwatha participation at WPL, considering BCCI invitation” a source told Cricket Age.
The second edition of the Women’s Premier League kickstarted on a rollicking note as Bollywood’s King Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, led the proceedings of the opening ceremony on a blockbuster note at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on February 23, Friday.
India’s cricket carnival kickstarted on an enthralling note as the Bollywood stars, Shah Rukh Khan, Kartik Aaryan, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Sidharth Malhotra added a glamorous flavour with their exciting performances.
The crowd was on its feet as Shah Rukh Khan put up a dazzling performance on his Pathaan movie song, Jhoome Jo Pathaan, and Jawan’s Ramaiya Vastavaiya. Before his energetic performance, King Khan had a special message of empowerment for women cricketers. King Khan’s aura and his energy left everyone grooving on his super-hit tracks.
“If women have progressed in so many fields, then why not in sports? This was the reason behind the initiative of the Women’s Premier League by the BCCI under secretary Jay Shah. For the next 30 days, it’s not only about women and their power, it’s not only about cricket and the goodness of sports. It’s about the rise of women and to carve their place and the rise of queens in their Queendom,” Shah Rukh said ahead of his performance.
It was yet another iconic moment when cricket met Bollywood. The BCCI President Roger Binny, Honorary Secretary Jay Shah, and other BCCI dignitaries joined the captains and Bollywood stars on the stage. The starry opening ceremony was brought to an end as all 5 captains posed with the coveted WPL trophy. The opening ceremony was followed by the tournament opener between last year’s finalists, Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians.
