As most of us cricket lovers are aware Delhi Daredevils is saddi Dilli’s franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in cricket. The team Delhi Daredevils is owned by the GMR Group, remember the IGI fame. Founded in 2008, the team is presently captained by Mahela Jayawardene and coached by former South African cricketer Eric Simons. All the home matches of Delhi Daredevils are held at the historic Feroz Shah Kotla ground under the newly installed floodlights.
IPL is played by Indian and foreign players as well through various franchises they are a part of. IPL works on a franchise system based on hiring players, under which sponsors bring player into their teams for a particular amount and a stipulated period of time. The franchises are also required to share a part of their revenues with the board.
Talking about our very own team, the Delhi Daredevils motto is: Dare to Succeed. It draws from the Hindi line ‘Front foot pe khelenge’. It conjures the vision of a team that is innovative and does not shy away from a challenge, blending well with the never-say-die trait of the true Dilliwalla. The team song “Dilli ke Munday, Aa Khelein Front Foot Pe” is a call to action that creates an excitement that is unique to the team.
The history of cricket in India dates back to the time of the British Raj when the sailors of the East India Company played cricket in the sub-continent leading to the establishment of small cricket clubs in different states. India has always been a cricket crazy nation with a regionalist mindset where people come in support for their respective players every time India plays any tournament. Be it one-day series, test matches, Twenty20 matches or the newer version – Indian Premier League. This new class of Entertainment Cricket combined with the excitement of Bollywood adds glamour, fun and attraction to the game, making it a complete package and a great value for money for the fans.
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar was the brand ambassador of the team during the 2008 Season but opted not to return for the 2009 season due to a busy schedule. However, Akshay was seen at a few of the team’s games cheering them on. Famous Bollywood playback singer Kailash Kher has sung the team anthem – “Dilli ke Munday, Aa Khelein Front Foot Pe” which means “Play on the front foot or play aggressively”. It is played at every Delhi Daredevils match.
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