Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan had a special message for Team India.

In a new campaign by Star Sports titled ‘Ab ho ja tu taiyar (get ready!), the actor took on the persona of ‘Ashwatthama‘ from his upcoming film ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ and delivered a motivating speech to the cricket squad.

The video begins with Big B setting the tone for an epic battle, declaring, “Ye mahayudh hai, ab hoja tu taiyar” (This is a great battle, now get ready for it). The video showcases players like Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Surya looking intense as they gear up for the tournament. Through his powerful and eloquent verses, he empowers the cricketers to seize their destinies and triumph in the face of adversity.

Amitabh Bachchan narrates the poem with the music of Kalki 2898 AD’ playing in the background and the visuals of Men in Blue shown on the screen. The campaign also revisits unforgettable scenes from former cricket matches, such as Kohli’s legendary shot at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the T20 World Cup in 2022 against Pakistan, stirring nostalgia among cricket enthusiasts as well as the iconic victory of the Indian Cricket Team in the 2007 T20 World Cup.

Concluding with a resonant message, Big B asserts, “Maan mat tu jeet se kam, garv se uthe har matha, ye mahadwand hai, mahayudh, virodhi se tu nazrein mila, ab hoja tu taiyaar (Do not belittle yourself in front of victory, let every head rise with pride, this is a great struggle, a great battle, meet the opponent eye to eye, now get ready).”

Star Sports’ campaign has received over 250k views on YouTube in less than a day with a host of praises and compliments. “Pure Goosebumps,” one user wrote. “Outstanding performance,” another commented.

The 2024 men’s T20 World Cup begins on Saturday, June 1. As the countdown begins, the worlds of cricket and cinema have been fused in order to provoke and court anticipation in the country.