Cricket World Cup: Prince Harry's brutal sledge on Australian captain Aaron Finch at Buckingham Palace

Prince Harry couldn't resist taking a cheeky dig at Australian captain Aaron Finch ahead of the Cricket World Cup.

The Duke of Sussex added some friendly fire to the rivalry between England and Australia, jokingly needling Finch as the team captains met at Buckingham Palace.

"You're getting on a bit now, aren't you? How long have you been playing?" Prince Harry joked, making the batsman laugh.

Prince Harry, who will be at the Oval for the World Cup opener between England and South Africa, seemed confident about his country's chances as he tested the mood of the players.

Prince Harry meets Australia cricket captain Aaron Finch. Photo / AP

"Enjoy it, if you're not going to enjoy it you might as well not be here," he told Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne.

Queen Elizabeth also met the group of captains, including Kiwi cricketing royalty Kane Williamson, ahead of the launch of the event which starts tonight.

The Black Caps take on Sri Lanka in their first match of the tournament on Saturday night.

Queen Elizabeth with the captains of the teams taking part in the ICC Cricket World Cup. Photo / AP