ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 opening ceremony

Thousands of fans crammed leafy Hagley Park to see the launch of the first World Cup in New Zealand and Australia in 23 years, the formal part of which began with a lone bagpiper and ended with a booming fireworks display --the biggest in the city's history.

Captured here are images from the opening

Watch the video here

[caption id="attachment_70208" align="alignnone" width="640"] The Rangana and Udumbara Dance Troupe take part in Sri Lanka's performance at the opening ceremony ahead of the ICC 2015 Cricket World Cup at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on February 12, 2015. AFP[/caption] [caption id="attachment_70209" align="alignnone" width="640"] A giant puppet cricketer during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 opening event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, Victoria, February 12, 2015. REUTERS[/caption] [caption id="attachment_70211" align="alignnone" width="640"] Fireworks explode during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 opening event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, Victoria, February 12, 2015. REUTERS/[/caption]