Adelaide: Cricket excitement reached fever pitch on Sunday as defending champions India took on bitter foes Pakistan in a World Cup blockbuster touted as the most watched encounter in the history of the sport.

The refurbished Adelaide Oval resembled a sea of blue and green -- the respective colours of India and Pakistan -- as fans began packing the sold-out stands two hours ahead of the start of the day-night game. There were thousands without tickets waiting outside the stadium in temperatures already touching 38 degrees Celsius hoping to clinch a last-minute deal to get in, or at least have a glimpse of their heroes.