BCCI to host 40-min tribute for Zubeen Garg at Women’s World Cup opener in Guwahati
The tribute will be organised in collaboration with the Assam Cricket Association at Barsapara Cricket Stadium
An aerial view of Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, Sept 21: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will host a special 40-minute tribute to legendary Assamese singer Zubeen Garg ahead of the opening match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 in Guwahati on September 30.
Confirming the plan, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said the tribute will be organised in collaboration with the Assam Cricket Association at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, where India will face Sri Lanka in the tournament’s curtain-raiser.
“Keeping in consonance with the grief and tragic situation prevailing in Assam after the loss of Zubeen Garg, we felt it is our duty to honour him. There will be about a 40-minute programme in his memory at the opening ceremony. This will be the biggest tribute the cricketing fraternity can offer to Zubeen,” Saikia told a newswire, on Sunday.
He revealed that playback singer Shreya Ghoshal, who had already been scheduled to perform at the opening ceremony, would be part of the tribute.
“We are trying to finalise who else will join in paying respects to Zubeen. Some cultural programmes were also being considered, but given the time constraints, we have decided to dedicate the full 40 minutes to Zubeen Garg,” Saikia added.
The announcement comes as Assam continues to mourn the sudden passing of Garg, who died earlier this week after suffering a seizure while swimming at Lazarus Island in Singapore.
His body was brought back to Guwahati on Sunday morning, where thousands of fans lined the streets and gathered at Sarusajai Stadium to pay their final respects.
For Assam, the planned tribute is seen as a fitting gesture to a cultural icon whose music transcended generations and whose legacy will now echo in one of the world’s most-watched sporting tournaments.
With inputs from Agencies