The Indian Premier League joined hands the Marylebone Cricket Club to support the MCC Spirit of Cricket initiative at the inaugural season of the lucrative Twenty20 tournament, to be held from April 18 to June 1.

The pioneering agreement will see each of the eight Indian franchises sign an MCC Spirit of Cricket Declaration at the IPL opening ceremony to demonstrate their commitment towards upholding the spirit of the game.

"I am happy that the DLF Indian Premier League will adopt MCC's doctrine on the Spirit of Cricket. This partnership between the DLF IPL and MCC is both exciting and important," Chairman and Commissioner, IPL, Lalit Modi said.

"It is exciting to be associated with the most famous cricket club in the world, which is the custodian of the Laws of Cricket and the upholder of the spirit of the game. More importantly, all the cricketers playing in the inaugural season of the DLF IPL are role models for an entire generation of youth and it is crucial for youngsters all over the world to learn straight away the values of this great game and the spirit in which it should be played. The eyes of the world will be on the DLF IPL and we want to see cricket, and the Spirit of Cricket, at its best," he added.

Expressing his excitement at the deal, MCC secretary and Chief Executive, Keith Bradshaw said, "We are delighted that, right from the outset, the DLF Indian Premier League is embracing the MCC Spirit of Cricket initiative. This is an innovative and forward-thinking league that has captured the imagination of the cricketing world and it is pleasing that each player and each team will play their part in supporting the very best traditions of the game.

"The Spirit of Cricket is a worldwide concept that affects all players of the game, from the grassroots to the elite level, and we believe it's fitting for MCC -- a worldwide cricket club with an independent voice in the game -- to promote the Spirit of Cricket in partnership with the DLF Indian Premier League.

"We look forward to a league full of great cricket and superb cricketers playing in the right way -- hard but fair."