Indian cricket fans would rather forget the 2023 World Cup final. But the opening match of the group stage of the 2027 ODI World Cup, on October 7, will bring back memories of that November night in Ahmedabad as defending champions Australia will take on India. Australia had defeated India by six wickets in the previous final.
The International Cricket Council on Thursday announced the schedule for the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The tournament will be held from October 2 to November 21, 2027.
A total of 14 teams will participate in the tournament. Along with hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, the top-eight-ranked teams from the ICC rankings - India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh - have confirmed their berths. The four remaining teams will be picked from qualifiers. The top-placed qualifier will advance directly to the group stages, while the other three will play a Super Series for the remaining group-stage spot.
The top three from each group and the best fourth-placed finisher will complete the Super 7 phase of the tournament. The top four teams from the Super 7 phase will make up the semifinals, which will be decided by November 14.
India are in Group A alongside Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Zimbabwe, as well as Qualifier A, which will be decided later. Group B consists of New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.
India will open their 2027 ODI World Cup campaign against defending champions Australia on October 7 at Newlands in Cape Town. The 2023 runners-up will then travel to the Wanderers in Johannesburg for a highly anticipated clash with arch-rivals Pakistan on October 10.
Their remaining group-stage fixtures are against Afghanistan on October 14 at Centurion, Qualifier A on October 17 in Bloemfontein, and Zimbabwe on October 24 at Victoria Falls.
The top three teams from each group, plus the best-placed fourth team across both groups, will advance to the Super 7. The seven teams will start with a clean slate meaning no points carried over from the group stage and each side will play six matches between October 25 and November 14.
To give fans, teams and stakeholders clearer insight into potential fixtures, venues and travel plans, seven teams have been pre-seeded into fixed positions:A1: IndiaA2: AustraliaA3: PakistanA4: EnglandB1: New ZealandB2: South AfricaB3: Sri Lanka
The Super 7 phase is scheduled to begin on October 25 with A2 facing B3 in Johannesburg. If both Australia and Sri Lanka qualify, that match will be Australia vs Sri Lanka. If a non-seeded team reaches the Super 7 while a pre-seeded side does not, the qualifier will take over the position of the team it has displaced. For example, if Bangladesh qualify and Sri Lanka do not, Bangladesh will assume the B3 slot and face Australia on October 25.
𝙈𝘼𝙍𝙆 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙀𝙉𝘿𝘼𝙍𝙎 🗓️The ICC Men’s #CWC27 fixtures have been unveiled 🏆Access the ticket ballot 🎫 https://t.co/MSLEQzcObb https://t.co/dpTE4TEjO7
A1 (India) v A2 (Australia) – October 28 – Victoria FallsA1 (India) v B1 (New Zealand) – November 4 – PaarlA1 (India) v A3 (Pakistan) – November 7 – Cape TownA1 (India) v AB4 (England) – November 11 – GqeberhaA1 (India) v B3 (Sri Lanka) – November 14 – Durban
The top four teams from the Super 7 will progress to the semi-finals. The first-placed side will meet the fourth-placed team, while second will face third. The winners will contest the title on November 21 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
The tournament opens with a three-team Super Series. These three sides will emerge from a 10-team qualifying tournament early next year. The winner of that qualifier earns direct entry into the group stage as Qualifier B. The runner-up and the two losing semifinalists then contest the Super Series in Windhoek, Namibia (October 2–6). The winner of the Super Series becomes Qualifier A and takes the final group-stage place.