2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony Live Streaming, Highlights

The opening ceremony of the 2011 Cricket World Cup will be held in Bangladesh at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka. The event will take place on February 17, 2011, 2 days prior to the first match of the World Cup.

The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the tenth Cricket World Cup and will be hosted by three South Asian Test cricket playing countries: India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It will be Bangladesh’s first time co-hosting a Cricket World Cup.

The World Cup has grown as a media event with each tournament. International Cricket Council has sold the rights for broadcasting of 2011 Cricket World Cup for around US$ 2 Billion to ESPN Star Sports and Star Cricket. The tournament would be broadcast all around the world in about 220 countries.

There will be performances by:
* Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy – De Ghuma Ke
* Runa Laila
* Sabina Yasmin
* Momtaz Begum
* Sonu Nigam
* Bathiya and Santhush
* Iraj Weeraratne
* Bryan Adams

Telecast
ESPN, STAR Sports and STAR Cricket will simultaneously telecast the opening ceremony of the opening ceremony.

ICC Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony Photos : Bryan Adams performs at the opening ceremony of the 2011 World Cup

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is all set to unleash today in the World Cup Opening Ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Bangabandhu National Stadium is all setup and ready to open the curtains for the 43 day long cricket extravaganza. Bangladesh is hosting Cricket World Cup for the first time and hence wanted to show the world about them through this ceremony. The co-hosts Sri Lanka and India are also extending their full support to make this World Cup a big success.

The World Cup Opening Ceremony is scheduled to begin at 5:30PM IST (12PM GMT) and will be televised through ESPN - Star Network. The Opening Ceremony is going to be a two hour long display of Laser shows, songs, dance and cultural performances. Internationally acclaimed Pop star Bryan Adams, Indian Music Trio Shankar Ehsaan Loy and the singing prodigy Sonu Nigam are going to render their entertaining performances for an expected packed audience of Cricket World Cup Opening Ceremony 2011.

Though the Opening Ceremony is bound to happen today, the first World Cup Cricket Match happens only day after tomorrow i.e., 19th Feb 2011. In the opening match Bangladesh takes on another host India at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in the outskirts of Dhaka beginning the cricket festival that will go on for 43 days and held in 13 venues in 3 countries. This cricket feast is expected to excite crores of cricket fans around the world and keep them addicted to this cricket extravaganza.

Cricket World Cup 2011 is the biggest ever World Cup to be held with 14 Nations playing for the coveted title. As the World Cup is being held in the cricket crazy Indian sub-continent, it is expected to bring huge revenues to the cricketing bodies. According to experts, the favorites for this Cricket World Cup 2011 are India, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Bryan Adams performs at the opening ceremony of the 2011 World Cup at Dhaka's Bangabandhu Stadium on Thursday. Dancers perform at the opening ceremony of the 2011 World Cup at Dhaka's Bangabandhu Stadium on Thursday.