India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group at the 2027 Cricket World Cup and will clash at The Wanderers in Johannesburg on October 10 next year as the fixtures for the tournament were announced on Thursday.
India also have Australia in their pool in a repeat of the 2023 final. Their encounter will open the second stage of the World Cup in Cape Town on October 7, with the tournament co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
India and Pakistan have a fierce rivalry on the cricket pitch, fuelled by political tensions between the subcontinent neighbours.
There will likely be a fervent atmosphere at the Wanderers, nicknamed the ‘Bullring’, a high-scoring ground that will also stage the final on November 21.
Afghanistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe and an as yet unknown qualifier are also in Group A with the top three teams in each pool advancing to the Super 7 phase, along with the best of the fourth-placed teams across the two pools.
Co-hosts South Africa, who have yet to lift the World Cup, are in Group B with England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and another qualifier.
The first stage of the competition is a round-robin three-team event that starts on October 2 and will produce the final qualifier for the second stage.
2027 Cricket World Cup:
Group A: Afghanistan, Australia, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Qualifier A
Group B: Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Qualifier B
Fixtures:
Preliminary group:
Three teams will play in a round robin series in Windhoek from October 2 with one team advancing to the group stage.
Group A:
October 7 – India v Australia, Cape Town
October 8 – Pakistan v Afghanistan, Centurion
October 9 – Zimbabwe v Qualifier A, Bulawayo
October 10 – India v Pakistan, Johannesburg
October 11 – Zimbabwe v Afghanistan, Bulawayo
October 12 – Australia v Qualifier A, Paarl
October 14 – India v Afghanistan, Centurion
October 15 – Pakistan v Qualifier A, Bloemfontein; Zimbabwe v Australia, Harare
October 17 – India v Qualifier A, Bloemfontein
October 18 – Australia v Afghanistan, KuGompo City (formerly East London)
October 19 – Zimbabwe v Pakistan, Harare
October 21 – Afghanistan v Qualifier A, KuGompo City
October 22 – Australia v Pakistan, Paarl
October 24 – Zimbabwe v India, Victoria Falls
Group B:
October 8 – England v Bangladesh, Windhoek
October 9 – South Africa v New Zealand, Cape Town
October 10 – Sri Lanka v Qualifier B, Windhoek
October 12 – New Zealand v Bangladesh, KuGompo City
October 13 – England v Sri Lanka, Windhoek; South Africa v Qualifier B, Paarl
October 16 – Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, Durban; South Africa v England, Gqeberha
October 17 – New Zealand v Qualifier B, Harare
October 19 – South Africa v Bangladesh, Durban
October 20 – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Johannesburg; England v Qualifier B, Harare
October 22 – South Africa v Sri Lanka, Johannesburg
October 23 – England v New Zealand, Gqeberha
October 23 – Bangladesh v Qualifier B, Centurion
Super Sevens:
Seven teams will compete in a round-robin phase from October 25 to November 14, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals.
Semifinals:
November 17 – Cape Town
November 18 – Centurion
Final:
November 21 – Johannesburg
Source: Khaleej Times