New IPL anthem to focus on unifying spirit of cricket

Mumbai, (Maharashtra) [India] Mar 12 (ANI): With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 all set to kick-off in April, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Star India have collaborated to create enthralling anthem 'Best vs Best', which aims to bring out the unifying spirit of the game.

The anthem titled 'Best vs Best' focuses on IPL as the embodiment of the best of global cricketing talent showcasing their prowess as match winners.

"The very essence of VIVO IPL is a thrilling, action-packed celebration of cricket where the best of talent take on each other in one of the most gruelling cricket tournaments in the world. It is a fantastic celebration of both the game and its millions of fans across the world. The Best vs Best campaign endeavours to showcase the pinnacle of cricket that this tournament is associated with," said Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director Star India.

"That cricket has been a religion in India and that the BCCI's - Indian Premier League is perhaps the best manifestation of that is beyond doubt. For us at the BCCI, the focus has always been on increasing the fan base for the sport by engaging not only the hard-core cricket fans but also those who do not follow the sport on a regular basis namely women and children," said Rahul Johri, Chief Executive Officer, (BCCI).

He added, "Given that we are now ready to embark on the next chapter for the Indian Premier League with the start of the 11thedition, the BCCI, in collaboration with Star India has worked on co-creating a large multi-media campaign focussing on the 'Best vs Best'. We hope this campaign spurs the non-cricket viewing public to engage more deeply with the VIVO IPL 2018 like never before."

The anthem is simultaneously being released in five languages -Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Kannada and Telugu across TV, Radio, and Digital.

South African filmmaker Dan Mace is the music director while Raajeev V Bhalla and vocalist Siddharth Basrur who lent their voices for the anthem in five different languages.

"IPL is the legendary cricket tournament in the world where every team is equally balanced and has an equal chance to win. It's truly the best v/s the best. The campaign not only reflects the energy but also captures the fact that this is the best platform for young cricketers. We had fun putting it together!" said Executive Chairman and Creative Director South Asia, Piyush Pandey

The 11th edition of IPL starts on Saturday, April 7, 2018, with defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on Chennai Super Kings.(ANI)