IBL declared open in Delhi

An acrobat performs during the opening ceremony of the Indian Badminton League (IBL) 2013 at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in New Delhi on August 14, 2013.

The ceremoby was adorned by a show of laser lights, acrobatics, Bollywood songs and dance . The million dollar Indian Badminton League (IBL), trumpeted as the sport's richest event, will be played over a fortnight between six city teams, using a more attacking style of play designed to excite the fans.

Flags of different franchises were carried by women inside big bubbles and acrobatics were performed by artists who used big size circles and cubes to showcase their skills, enthralling the sparse crowd.

Badminton stars in the 2013 IBL take oath during the opening ceremony of the Indian Badminton League in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Sai Praneeth's 21 16 21 20 win over Vietnamese Nyuyen Tien Minh of Pune Pistons in the men's singles was one of the few positives to come out for the Delhi Smashers, who eventually lost the contest 3 2 on Wednesday.

World No.4 Juliane Schenk of Germany set the ball rolling for the Pune Pistons as she beat her women's singles opponent Thai Jindapon (Delhi Smashers) 21 15, 21 6 in what was one of the more one sided contests of the day.