Mumbai, Oct 13 (IANS): The fan-inspired jersey of the Indian cricket team was unveiled on Wednesday, ahead of the men's T20 World Cup in Oman and the UAE. The tournament will start from October 17 and end on November 14. The new jersey, named as the 'Billion Cheers Jersey', by official kit sponsors MPL Sports, comes in shades of prussian blue and royal blue.
"This is the first time in the history of Indian cricket that fans have been memorialised on a jersey. It carries their chants and cheers from iconic past matches, transformed into unique soundwave patterns. As much as the shirt, aptly called the 'Billion Cheers Jersey', honours their unwavering support, it also serves as a beacon of inspiration and encouragement for Team India to give their best on the field," said a release by MPL Sports.
"We have immense respect for our fans and this makes the official jersey even more special. The design is quite striking and distinct from ones we have sported in the past while also delivering on comfort and performance to enable us to give our best. All of us are thrilled to don the new colours, show our game and make our billion-plus fans proud," said Indian captain Virat Kohli.
Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI President, expressed his happiness over the new jersey. "The Indian cricket team enjoys support not just in India but around the world, and there's no better way to celebrate their excitement and energy than through this jersey. This will undoubtedly provide the team with the much-needed enthusiastic support in their quest to emerge as the T20 champions of the world. We are also pleased to see that MPL Sports continues to deliver merchandise that is widely affordable and accessible."
"We are excited to unveil the official jersey today and make it available for supporters ahead of the T20 games in partnership with MPL Sports. The story behind the jersey is a story of every Indian cricket fan. We are sure that wearing this will be a matter of great pride for both the team and supporters alike," said BCCI secretary Jay Shah.
The jersey will be available in retail stores starting from Rs 1,799. Along with this, over ten variations, including a player edition jersey and Kohli's signature number 18 jersey, have been launched as well.