Prince Harry opens Cricket World Cup 2019

Prince Harry attended the opening match of 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup on Thursday.

To kick off the mega event, the Duke of Sussex welcomed fans to the sporting event, which is being held at The Oval in London, reported E! News.

"The first-ever cricket World Cup took place in England in 1975, and I'm delighted that the UK will once again play host to this wonderful global sporting event featuring 10 incredible teams who, thanks to the UK's cultural diversity, will feel as though they are competing in front of a home crowd every time they take to the field," he told the crowd.

"Cities across England and Wales will come alive over the next six weeks as World Cup fever sweeps the nation once again and I am sure that the players will show their appreciation with some fantastic performances and great sportsmanship," he added.

Harry then wished the teams luck and thanked everyone who made the cricket tournament possible.

Expressing his excitement, Harry added, "Here's to a brilliant six weeks of sport. Trust me, you won't want to miss any of it. I am now honoured to declare the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales - OPEN!"

Not wanting to miss the crazy action, The Duke of Sussex watched England face off against South Africa from a box in the stands.

Before the match started, the royal met a couple of young people involved in the sport's youth engagement program, including some anthem children and flag bearers.

The Duke's official Instagram account stated that the tournament aims to inspire children all over the world by encouraging teamwork, an active lifestyle and a sense of community.

This wasn't the first time in this week that Harry celebrated the sport, on Wednesday, he hosted the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup team captains at Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II.

Harry's wife Meghan Markle didn't attend either of the events. The Duchess of Sussex is currently on her maternity leave after welcoming the couple's first child, Archie Harrison, earlier this month.

( With inputs from ANI )