Cricket World Cup: Dhaka ready for opening ceremony

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Dates: 19 February-2 April Venues:India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
Coverage: Highlights on BBC TV (see listings), Red Button & BBC Sport website at 2200 GMT every day (UK users only); Live Test Match Special commentary (BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC Sport website, some games also on BBC Radio 4 LW) and live text commentary on allEngland matches and selected other major games; Also live on Sky Sports

There has been a final rehearsal for the big night on Thursday

The $30m (£18.6m) opening ceremony to kick off the Cricket World Cup gets under way later on Thursday in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka.

Jointly organised by the International Cricket Council and the Bangladesh CricketBoard, it will be opened by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium, not used for any World Cup matches, will be the venue for the ceremony.

The more modern Mirpur and Chittagong will host eight matches between them.

The often chaotic Dhaka roads witnessed relatively light traffic on Thursday with the government declaring a half-day public holiday so its people could return home in good time to view the opening ceremony on television.

It is the first time the country, which is slowly making a mark in world one-daycricket if not the five-day Test version, has helped stage the showpiece event which begins on Saturday, with the final on 2 April.

The country, with a population of more than 160 million, is jointly hosting with India and Sri Lanka and thoroughly enjoying its rare moment in the sporting spotlight.

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Mostafa Kamal said: "We will be able to improve our image if we can successfully hold the opening ceremony and host the World Cup matches slated for us."