Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan set the stage on fire with a sizzling performance during the WPL 2024 opening ceremony in Bengaluru on Friday. The performance started with an impassionate speech from the star about the tournament and the important role that women play both on and off the field. SRK danced to the tune of his popular song "Jhoome Jo Pathaan" and also introduced all the five skippers from the competing franchises. The crowd erupted in applause during his performance and his banter with Meg Lanning and Smriti Mandhana left both the fans and social media in splits.
The second edition of the Women's Premier League, beginning with a high-profile match between defending champions Mumbai Indians and runners-up Delhi Capitals, will be optimistic about meeting its existential purpose of giving a wider platform to promising home-grown talents.
The foreign stars glittered brightly in the inaugural edition held in Mumbai, and the Indians will be hoping to hog some of the limelight this year as the tournament takes a multi-city format shape with New Delhi being the other host city.
While Capitals' skipper Meg Lanning, who has now retired from international cricket, took the Orange Cap last year for the highest run-getter, the Purple Cap went to Hayley Matthews of Mumbai for taking 16 wickets.
Amid this surge of overseas players, the Indian cricketers generally struggled for consistency and impact in the previous year, but now some of the young domestic stars will eye this WPL with genuine hope.
(With PTI inputs)