BCCI to Honour Zubeen Garg at Women’s World Cup Opening Ceremony in Guwahati

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will pay tribute to the late Assamese singer and cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, during the opening ceremony of the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup. Garg tragically passed away in a recent scuba diving accident in Singapore, leaving Assam and the broader Indian music community in mourning.

The inaugural match of the tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is scheduled for September 30 in Guwahati, where the tribute will take place. Confirming the development, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the ceremony would include a 40-minute programme dedicated to Zubeen Garg, reflecting the cricket board’s respect for the beloved artist.

“There is a huge grief and tragic situation prevailing in Assam following Zubeen’s death. Keeping in consonance with that situation, and as a person who deserves some respect, the Assam Cricket Association and the BCCI will have a tribute programme during the opening ceremony,” said Saikia. “This will be our respect and tribute to Zubeen.”

In addition to the memorial segment, popular playback singer Shreya Ghoshal is set to perform a mix of Bollywood hits and the tournament’s official anthem, Bring it Home, during the grand opening event.

The opening match of the World Cup will feature India facing Sri Lanka, marking a significant start to what promises to be a competitive tournament.

Reflecting on the Indian women's team's prospects, Saikia expressed optimism, especially after a close-fought ODI series against Australia, which India narrowly lost 1-2.

“It was a very keenly contested series… India played extremely well. Australia are a very good team, but India are catching up. And till now, India have not won any ICC women’s trophy, so this is a big opportunity,” he added.

With matches set to be played across India and Sri Lanka, Saikia noted the rising momentum in Indian women’s cricket and expressed hope that the team could finally break its ICC trophy jinx.

“Indian women’s cricket has come of age. I am sure they will make a remarkable performance in the upcoming World Cup. I hope the jinx will be broken this time,” he said.