\u201cIt comes of age not just as a league but as a movement. A celebration of sport, a festival of passion, a battleground where heroes are made. We are here in the \u2018city of joy,\u2019 Kolkata. So let\u2019s ignite this grand spectacle with the same energy, the same madness, with the same love that is the IPL, the greatest cricketing league in the world. Kolkata! Are you ready?\u201d said Shah Rukh.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In typical SRK fashion, the actor sent the crowd into a frenzy while using the reference to one of his movies \u2018Pathan\u2019. \u201cParty Pathan ke ghar pe rakhoge toh mehman nawazi ke liye Pathan khud aayega aur patake bhi layega,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Although the 59-year-old did not perform on the day, he set the stage for singer Shreya Ghosal, actress Disha Patani, and hip-hop artist Karan Aujla for their respective performances that followed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, in an unexpected turn of events, SRK returned to the field and introduced the only player to have represented one team through the 18 seasons of the tournament, Virat Kohli, and young gun Rinku Singh to indulge in a \u2018Gold vs Bold debate\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"The bold generation is coming up quickly, but the old generation is here to stay,\" said Kohli.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe can certainly give them competition,\u201d replied Rinku<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Both Rinku and Kohli shared a few laughs and danced alongside the King of Bollywood to end the segment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Devajit Saikia, BCCI secretary, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla, and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia, BCCI Treasurer were also invited on stage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
BCCI president Roger Binny presented Kohli with a special IPL Season 18 memento.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are the two teams who will be kicking off the season and interestingly both teams start their campaign under the new leadership, with Ajinkya Rahane captaining Kolkata while Rajat Patidar holding the baton for RCB. Another interesting fact is that these two teams had faced off in the opening match of the inaugural edition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
KKR will be hoping for a strong start to their title defense while the Patidar-led RCB eye to bury past demons this time around. It will also be a spectacular sight for home fans to watch Indian stalwart Virat Kohli in the T20 format for the first time after announcing his retirement from the shortest format of the game following India's triumph in the T20 World Cup last year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are the two teams who will be kicking off the season and interestingly both teams start their campaign under the new leadership, with Ajinkya Rahane captaining Kolkata while Rajat Patidar holding the baton for RCB. Another interesting fact is that these two teams had faced off in the opening match of the inaugural edition.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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