 Sobers is revered as a true great of Caribbean and world cricket |
"This signal honour is befitting of the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen," World Cup managing director Chris Dehring commented.
"It is because of legends like Sir Garry that today we have the opportunity to host this event."
The opening ceremony will take place at the new 25,000-seater Trelawny Stadium in Jamaica on 11 March.
It will be followed two days later by the first match between West Indies and Pakistan, one of 51 fixtures involving 16 teams to be played in eight countries across the region.
"It will be phenomenal for the Caribbean, especially for those persons who haven't had the opportunity to see a Cricket World Cup. It will be a fantastic experience," said Sobers.
A former all-rounder and West Indies captain, he scored more than 8,000 runs and took 235 wickets in 93 Tests before retiring in 1974, just one year before the first World Cup took place.
He only played a single limited-overs international against England at Headingley in 1973 during his career, but it was not a happy experience as he was dismissed for a duck and West Indies lost the game by one wicket.
Sobers was knighted for his services to cricket in 1975 and was named as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the 20th century in its 2000 edition.
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