The stage is set for ICC World Cup 2023. And before England vs New Zealand opener in a repeat of last edition’s final, there will be a grand opening ceremony on Oct 4 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Oct 4 will be Captains’ Day and it will be followed by the grand show at 7 PM IST. BCCI has roped in several Bollywood stars including Ranveer Singh, renowned singers Shreyas Ghoshal, Arijit Singh and veteran Asha Bhosle for the World Cup opening ceremony.
Furthermore, there will be a laser show and fireworks apart from showcasing Indian heritage. Captains of all 10 teams will be present during the occasion. As for fans, those who have bought tickets for the England vs New Zealand opening match will be able to attend the ceremony.
World Cup Opening Ceremony performers
As per PTC Punjab, Asha Bhosle will mesmerize the audience with her beautiful voice. Apart from the singing legend, Shreya Ghoshal, Shankar Mahadevan and Arijit Singh will also be performing. Ranveer Singh who was the face of ICC’s World Cup anthem will also perform along with some of the Bollywood and Tollywood divas.
- Asha Bhosle
- Shreya Ghoshal
- Arijit Singh
- Ranveer Singh
- Tamannaah Bhatia
- Shankar Mahadevan
Preparations in full swing
Ahead of the big day, preparations for the event are in full swing. The stage has been set up for the performance with rehearsal taking place.
Before of the grand opening, all 10 captains will arrive in Ahmedabad on Oct 3. But with India playing the Netherlands in the warm-up on October 3 as well as other teams, most of them will arrive on Oct 4 morning including Rohit Sharma.
And instead of World Cup opening ceremony before the opening match, it will take place a day in advance. With the matches starting at 2 PM IST, there won’t be enough time for such an event. Furthermore, fireworks and laser show won’t be able to take place in daylight.
Apart from the fans, the top officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) as well as BCCI will attend the event. BCCI and the ICC will invite top administrators of all cricket boards to the event.
Captains of all WC Teams
- India: Rohit Sharma
- Pakistan: Babar Azam
- England: Jos Buttler
- Australia: Pat Cummins
- New Zealand: Kane Williamson
- Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka
- Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan
- Netherlands: Scott Edwards
- South Africa: Temba Bavuma
- Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi