The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday unveiled the schedule for the Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup 2027, with India set to open their Group Stage campaign against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7.The 12 teams already confirmed for the Group Stage have been divided into two groups of six.India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A form Group A, while New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B make up Group B.The Group Stage will begin on October 7, with India taking on Australia in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final in Cape Town. South Africa will begin their campaign against New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9, while co-host Zimbabwe will face Qualifier A in Bulawayo on the same day.
When will India play Pakistan?
India will open their campaign in the men’s ICC World Cup against defending champions Australia at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on October 7, the world cricketing body announced.Shubman Gill’s men will face arch-rivals Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on October 10.India will also meet one of the Qualifiers on October 14 at the Centurion (Pretoria now known as Tshwane) followed by a match against co-hosts Zimbabwe at the newly constructed Victoria Falls Stadium on October 24.The two semi-finals will be played at Cape Town and Centurion on November 17 and 18 while the final will be played at the Wanderers on November 21.Of the 14 teams at the tournament, South Africa and Zimbabwe qualified directly as hosts, alongside the best eight teams on the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings at the 30 September 2026 cut-off.The remaining four spots will be decided at the Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The top-placed finisher goes directly to the Group Stage, while the other three teams compete in the Super Series for a Group Stage spot.The top three teams of each group will move into the Super 7 phase, with the better fourth-place finisher across the two groups taking the seventh spot.A total of 12 venues will play host to the tournament.
