Rapper Badshah to thrill at ILT20 Opening Ceremony Friday January 13 2023

• Incredibly popular Indian rapper also to pen and produce the league’s anthem
• Opening Ceremony to take place at Dubai International Stadium and act as the lead-in to the much-anticipated opening match
• The franchise-style tournament - International League T20 - boasting of 6 teams & 34 matches to be played across the UAE - will make its debut in January 2023  

Cricket and entertainment go hand in hand and it's going to be no different in the first season of the International League T20, set to be played in the UAE in January next year. The tournament will kick off with a glitzy and electrifying opening ceremony at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday January 13 (2023). The superstar rapper Badshah would be in the thick of things, ready to set the night alight and set the ball rolling for what should be scintillating four-weeks of high-quality T20 cricket. 

Recipient of various music and music-film awards, including PTC Punjabi Film awards, as well as nabbing two Nickelodeon Kids Choice ‘favourite rap music star’ awards, the incredibly popular Indian rapper, Badshah, will carry out his performance before the blockbuster opening match - which will be announced in the coming days. And, in a move that will delight fans of his genre and keep them engaged throughout the League Badshah will also put pen to paper and produce the official ILT20 Anthem.

Speaking about Badshah performing at the ILT20 opening ceremony, Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary, Emirates Cricket Board said, "League management is absolutely delighted to have one of India's biggest performers at the ILT20 opening ceremony. It is very important for us to get off to a blistering start, and Badshah will certainly help enthral the crowd before the cricketers work their magic on our three (competition) venues.” “We also extend our sincere thanks to Badshah for producing the ILT20 Anthem. We are eagerly looking forward to sharing this with our cricket-loving community."

Badshah also shared his thoughts ahead of his exciting performance, “I am thrilled to be performing at the ILT20 opening ceremony. I have been a huge cricket fan all my life and it's an honour for me to be performing at what has the hallmarks of becoming one of the biggest T20 Leagues, in front of some of the biggest cricket stars, and fans, from all over the world. To produce the ILT20 Anthem is also extremely exciting. I am confident the fans will love it and get behind it each time it’s belted-out across the stadiums."

Intensifying the excitement surrounding the opening night, Usmani hinted at another charismatic, global performer that will join Badshah to launch the league. “The League’s opening match will be well-complemented by an additional world-class performance that will help start proceedings. We will share more detail on this exciting act, as well as how fans can secure tickets to enjoy all the ILT20 action soon.” 

Making its debut in January (2023), the inaugural ILT20, which has received multi-year ICC approval, will be played in a 34-match format across the UAE’s exemplary, world-class cricket facilities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. 

Cricket fans across the world can catch the LIVE telecast of this exciting cricket league on ZEE’s linear channels, digital platform, Zee5 as well as Zee Cinema SD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema, &Pictures HD, &Flix SD, &Flix HD, Zee Zest SD, Zee Zest HD, Zee Bangla Cinema and Zee Thirai. 

 Franchise teams, comprising 84 International and 24 UAE-based players, include Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).