Key Points

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia informed the media here on Friday that the BCCI, in partnership with the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), will organise an opening ceremony before the opening match of the World Cup. The tournament will kick off with India hosting Sri Lanka in Guwahati.

"This is the first time Assam is hosting a World Cup match. We appeal to the people of the city, the state, and the entire Northeast to join this historic occasion and also pay homage to Zubeen Garg, who was loved by generations of music lovers," Saikia told reporters.

Saikia explained that the opening ceremony was initially intended as a grand celebration. However, following the sudden passing of Zubeen Garg in Singapore on September 19, the BCCI chose to scale back the festivities.

Instead, a 40-minute musical tribute will be held, featuring performances by well-known artists such as Papon (Angarag Mahanta), Joy Barua, Shreya Ghoshal, and the Shillong Choir, all in memory of Zubeen Garg.

Saikia had mentioned the same when he filed his nomination at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai earlier this week, saying that the board and the state association were in talks to hold a special ceremony dedicated to the singer.

Saikia mentioned that, with India playing on the opening day, the stadium is likely to be filled to its full capacity of approximately 40,000. Sufficient security measures, including multiple layers of security and traffic control strategies, have been implemented. Since the match falls on Mahashtami during Durga Puja, additional traffic restrictions will also be enforced.

India and Sri Lanka are jointly hosting the Women's World Cup 2025, with matches scheduled at four venues across India -- Indore, Visakhapatnam, and Navi Mumbai being the other three -- and Colombo in Sri Lanka.

- IANS