New Zealand and test babes Zimbabwe will play the inaugural (pre-quarter-final) match of the tourney involving all the nine-test playing nations.
All the eight day-night matches will start at 2 pm.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to formally inaugurate the tournament, popularly known as Mini World Cup, by releasing 11 pigeons and 11 balloons at the at 1:50 pm.
The number of pigeons and balloons symbolise all the nine participating test-playing nations, host Bangladesh and the games' supreme body, International Cricket Council (ICC).
Later, the Prime Minister will be introduced to the players of Zimbabwe and New Zealand. Steve Bucknor of West Indies and Peter Willey of England are the umpires for the lone pre-quarter final match. Veteran David Shepherd and Raman Subba Row, both of England, will be the TV umpire and Match referee respectively.
The Trophy
The glittering trophy of the tournament carrying the theme, ``One World One Game'', was handed over to the hosts here today.
Jagmohon Dalmiya, chief of the International Cricket Council (ICC), organiser of the Cup, handed over the trophy to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Saber Hossain Chowdhury.
A group of 40 dancers in white dress, the symbol of peace, and led by Shamim Ara Nipa and Shibli Mohammad, danced along with the theme song.
The ``trophy'' for the 9-nation first ever knock out World Cup Cricket, reached the capital from India on Wednesday.
Designed by Jaipur-based artist Arun Pabuwal, the trophy - nearly 22 inches in height and about six kg in weight - has been crafted in gold and silver and depicts how cricket integrates nations, and bears the etching of flags of all the nine test play nations.
Favourites
South African skipper Hansie Cronje has termed Australia and Sri Lanka as favourites, but said his side with many young players is confident to play the final.
``Our side is a young one. We are here to learn and gather experience. But we hope to play the final and win if things go well,'' he said addressing a press conference at Hotel Sonargaon today (Friday).
Cronje said that several regular members of his team could not come here either because of injury or they're resting. But he said: I'm happy with the replacements. The boys are very, very fine, enthusiastic and lot of them are highly skilled in one-day.
``Many of them are from the squad that clinched the Commonwealth Games Gold. They're confident to do better,'' said the South African captain.