Bengaluru, Oct. 8: Never before has cricket been embraced by different cultures at the same time. On Thursday, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium played a perfect host to a spectacular opening ceremony of the Champions League T20 that symbolised the purpose of the tournament.

The inaugural inter-club event has been touted as global, with 12 teams from seven countries fighting for the honour. True to its perception, a slew of artists from worldwide lit up the stadium with some electrifying purpose to the capacity crowd.

It began with all captains walking out with their team flags, before imprinting their palms in clay on a giant board. Soon after, Champions League governing council chairman Lalit Modi in his welcome address declared the event open.

The next hour was loaded with sizzling performances. First up, some 200 boys and girls dressed in traditional attire danced to the tune of classical Hindustani music and to the theme song for the tournament, composed by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman, before holding the gigantic team flags to the archights. Royal Challengers Bangalore received loudest cheer from the home crowd.

Next up was a foot-tapping show by the Japanese Drummers from Holland. Legendary Grammy winner Chaka Khan from Chicago performed I Feel For You before the crowd went gaga over Jamaican born pop singer Shaggy, who sang his hit Feel The Rush. More pop was to follow with English singer Jamelia crooning a peppy 2007 smash hit of her album Superstar. The biggest cheer of the night though was reserved for the Shaolin Monks from China.

With a young kid leading from the front, the group displayed some amazing acrobatic movements with Kalaripayattu performers from Kerala forming the sequence, displaying their mastery of the sword.

The crowd was reminded of the 2008 IPL opening ceremony as gymnasts did a synchronizing act near the boundary ropes before a five-minute laser show lit up the stadium.

The toss for the opening game between RCB and Cape Cobras was getting delayed but the crowd wasn't complaining.

The tone has been set for the tournament, now it's for the players to dish out some more entertainment.