IPL 2019: All captains reach Chennai to sign 'fair play' pledge

The pledge was being pre-recorded on the sidelines of the meet so that all of them can go back to their respective franchises well in time for their opening games of the season

The 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin on Saturday. Ahead of the tournament opener, the skippers of all the eight teams arrived in Chennai on Thursday to attend the captains' meet where they will sign the pledge to play the game in fair spirit.

The eight teams competing in the IPL include Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Mumbai Indians (MI), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Delhi Capitals (DC).

A senior official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the pledge was being pre-recorded on the sidelines of the meet so that all of them can go back to their respective franchises well in time for their opening games of the season.

"The captains are in Chennai today for the captains' meet as well as to sign the pledge so that all the leaders can go back to their respective teams before their opening games. They will head back to their respective franchises on Friday.

"With the opening ceremony being cancelled this year and the funds budgeted for the same to be handed to the families of the Pulwama martyrs, there will be a small screening wherein the pre-recorded signing of the pledge by the captains will be shown," the official explained.

The pledge taken by the captains of the eight teams will be shown in the Spirit of Cricket segment. It will be the only time when all the captains will share the stage in the tournament.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of the defending champions CSK, is also expected to put the trophy back into play at that time.