The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) commenced on March 22, 2024, at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The tournament’s grand opening ceremony combined Bollywood glamour and musical performances, producing a magnificent show before the start of the cricket matches.

Star-Studded Performances

Star actress Disha Patani led the opening ceremony with a stage performance. The IPL X Twitter account declared that Disha performed at the inaugural event as the league reached its 18th anniversary. The sensational Disha Patani possessed the perfect qualities to powerfully ignite the stage, according to the official IPL X (formerly Twitter) account announcement.

When its 18 years of IPL, it calls for a dazzling celebration like never before!

Who better than the sensational Disha Patani to set the stage ablaze?

Dont miss the electrifying Opening Ceremony of the #TATAIPL 18! @DishPatani pic.twitter.com/3TeHjOdz67

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 19, 2025

The ceremony featured musical performances by Shreya Ghoshal and Karan Aujla. Numerous reports indicated that Bollywood stars Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor made the ceremonial guest list at this event to amplify its charm. The organizers invited OneRepublic from America along with local performers to share the stage, presenting a blend of global and domestic music entertainment.

Notable Attendees

The ceremony expected numerous dignitaries along with famous celebrities to attend the event. ICC chairman Jay Shah joined forces with Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. Shah Rukh Khan added significance to the opening ceremony as his Kolkata Knight Riders team opened the competition.

The event was attended by actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, together with Madhuri Dixit, along with additional notable attendees who made an appearance.

Opening Match: KKR vs. RCB

The first game of the IPL season was played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore after the official opening ceremony. The IPL 2024 title went to KKR under captain Shreyas Iyer before the leadership moved under Ajinkya Rahane.

RCB faced the finals on three occasions, yet they have not won the IPL championship. According to cricketing great AB de Villiers, the present Royal Challengers Bangalore squad under captain Rajat Patidar, united with players such as Virat Kohli, had what it took to end their IPL title waiting duration this season.

Broadcast and Streaming Details

The entire opening ceremony and all matches of the tournament were broadcasted live through Star Sports channels. The JioHotstar streaming service offered no-cost access to subscribers who had either the 299 or higher Reliance Jio tariff plan. Broadcasting the event to widen audience access was the main motivation behind making the tournament viewable by more people.

Ticketing Information

Ticket purchasers found options for the opening ceremony and first match through authorized distributors, which included BookMyShow, Paytm Insider, and the official IPL website. Passengers found tickets ranging between 3,000 and 30,000, based on seat availability and category selection. Early booking of tickets by fans guaranteed their participation in this long-awaited special event.