2019 World Cup begins with glittering opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup was held at the London Mall to mark the beginning of the event.

The World Cup, hosted by England and Wales, received a dose of music and dance on Wednesday. In this regard, the London Mall was prepared for a huge spectacle. Many prominent cricketers too part and entertained the fans at the event.

The tickets for this event were sold out beforehand. 4000 fans were present at the event. The tickets were handed out through a draw and allowed admission only to the person whose name was mentioned on the ticket.

Pakistan team captain Sarfaraz Ahmed along with other captains met the Queen of Britain at the event.

Unprecedented security arrangements  were made for the World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday. Instances of terrorism in New Zealand and Sri Lanka have forced the ICC into making hefty arrangements in order to ensure that the mega event is carried out in a safe environment.

The Head of Security for the 2019 ICC World Cup Jill McCracken has reinforced his team’s capabilities to ensure the smooth running of what he terms the most “Challenging World Cup”.

“We have made arrangements keeping in mind the prevailing security situation. We have sent our plans to all the concerned cricket boards as well. The plans can however change if required. The teams are accompanied by their security advisors and they are satisfied with the arrangements,” said McCracken.

McCracken also reassured the Pakistan and Indian fans about the security situation regarding India-Pakistan clash scheduled on June 16 at Old Trafford.

“I can confirm that the match between India and Pakistan is not under any threat,” he said. “This is a cricket event and will be remembered for the sport rather than any untoward incident.”