A Indian fan waves the tricolour
Sir Garfield Sobers -- the greatest all-rounder in the game's history -- declared the competition open.
The choice of Sobers to inaugurate the tournament was 'befitting of the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen', said Chris Dehring, CEO, ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.
'It is because of legends like Sir Gary that today we have the opportunity to host this event,' he added.
He scored 8,035 runs and took 235 wickets in 93 Tests before retiring in 1974, a year before the first World Cup in England. He held the record for the highest individual Test score (365 not out) for almost 40 years before another charismatic West Indian left-handed genius broke that record.
Sir Gary was knighted for his services to cricket in 1975 and was named one of Wisden's five cricketers of the 20th century.
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