No IPL opening ceremony this year, CoA says allocated money will go to Pulwama martyrs’ families

The IPL will not have an opening ceremony this year after the Committee of Administrators (CoA) running Indian cricket on Friday decided to allocate the money set aside for it to the families of the CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama terror attack.

The opening ceremonies of the cash-rich T20 league are a heady mix glitz and glamour with performances by Bollywood stars being the highlight. However, as a mark of respect to the slain CRPF men, it has been decided to scrap the ceremony for the event's 12th edition beginning March 23.

"We will not have any inaugural function for the IPL and the money budgeted for that goes to the martyrs' families," said Committee of Administrators chairman Vinod Rai.

The CoA took the call at a meeting here on Friday.

The Pulwama attack took place last week and its reverberations are being felt in the sporting arena as well. There has been a call to snap sporting ties with Pakistan.

The Rai-led CoA decided against taking any stand on the World Cup clash against Pakistan but said it would individually urge ICC members to "sever ties with any nation that is a terrorist hub".

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL opener on March 23.