India's obsession with cricket peaks with home World Cup

The 13th edition of the 50-over World Cup got under way in Ahmedabad on Thursday heralding six weeks of high-octane action in a country madly in love with the game.

India, the twice champions, who last won the title when they were hosts in 2011, are the financial engine of the game, wielding considerable clout within the world governing International Cricket Council (ICC).

The team, led by Rohit Sharma, head into the tournament as the top-ranked one-day team and one of the tournament favourites, along with holders England and five-time winners Australia.

Cricketers in India enjoy rock-star status rivalled only by Bollywood actors, and earn the kind of money that remains a distant dream for most other sportspeople.

It also means they are under tremendous pressure to perform in big tournaments and that burden of expectation will only be heavier at their home World Cup.

New Zealand's stand-in captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field against England in the opening game of the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.