A special tourist visa for the cricket World Cup was launched yesterday.

The six-week tournament officially starts on 11 March, with West Indies playing Pakistan in the first game two days later.

The visa – for use in the nine host Caribbean countries – was originally slated to take effect in January, but tourism officials expressed concern it could affect non-cricket visitors.

Organisers expect as many as 100,000 visitors to attend the tournament, which is being held for the first time in the Caribbean.

The host nations have spent millions of dollars on new stadiums, roads and other improvements ahead of the tournament – billed as the largest sporting event ever in the region.