"would love/like to" usage?

What is the difference between the sentences "I would love/like to play cricket" and " I want to play cricket." Is there any difference in the moods?

Further to tchrist's answer, they're different, but it's more complicated than it looks.

I want to play cricket: whether the option to play cricket is available or not, to play cricket is what I want to be doing right now. I don't want to be sitting at my boring office job wasting time on ELU; I want to play cricket, dammit.

I would love to play cricket. I read this as one of: 1) My friend has asked me if I want to play cricket right now and I've replied "I would love to play cricket!" This could be followed by me saying either "So let's play!" or "But unfortunately I can't because I'm at my boring office job wasting time on ELU."

OR 2) If it were possible to play cricket right now, I would gladly do so, but alas it is not possible at all.

Yes, the moods are different:

• want is in the indicative mood.
• would love is (arguably) in the conditional mood, or perhaps the optative.

The first phrase is expressing an affection for playing cricket. The other phrase is a basic agreement to play or a statement wishing to fulfill a need.

Context surrounding the phrase may affect how the phrase is received:

• In the right conversation and sarcastic tone, “I love to play cricket” can mean just the opposite.
• “Love to play cricket” can also imply an unnecessarily exaggerated form of simple confirmation.