As cricket strives to increasingly become a global sport, so do the opening ceremonies of its marquee events. The launch of the Champions League Twenty20 at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on October 8 will showcase the martial-art skills of China’s shaolin monks and Kerela’s kalaripayattu artists in what promises to be a glitzy and high-budget affair. The 30-minute ceremony will also feature Grammy winners Chaka Khan and Shaggy, along with well-known pop artist Jamelia. Also in the mix are Japanese drummers and dancers wearing yards of silks that will unfurl into the team flags. The CEO of the Champions League Twenty20 Sundar Raman said it would be at par with some of the best ceremonies seen on TV.

If you enjoyed Rudi Koertzen’s voice booming around the Wanderers at the start of the IPL final asking spectators “Bullring are you ready? Gentlemen let’s play”, just wait till the Champions Twenty20 League starts in October. The umpires in the tournament played in India will be miked up to be heard by television audiences throughout the matches. So no more must you rely on lip-reading skills to hear who said “luck to you” to whom. However in a killjoy move the organisers have given umpires the option to switch off their mikes during the games. In case of an on-field confrontation, you may have to wait till players Twitter it or their publish tell-all autobiographies.