Pakistan, India and Australia locked in same group at 2027 World Cup

Pakistan will face arch-rivals India and defending champions Australia in the group stage of the 2027 Cricket World Cup, following the schedule announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday.

Pakistan will meet India at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium on October 10, while India will take on Australia in Cape Town three days earlier.

The venue is the tournament’s largest stadium, and the high-profile clash is expected to attract significant demand for tickets.

India will begin their campaign against Australia in Cape Town on October 7, setting up two major fixtures in their opening matches.

The tournament will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, beginning on October 2 and concluding with the final on November 21.

Which teams are in Pakistan’s group?

Pakistan have been drawn in Group A alongside India, Australia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and a qualifier.

Zimbabwe will play all their group-stage matches at home, with two fixtures each in Bulawayo and Harare. They will conclude their group campaign against India at Victoria Falls.

Group B comprises South Africa, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and a qualifier.

South Africa will open their campaign against New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9. England will face Bangladesh in Windhoek, Namibia, a day earlier, before meeting South Africa and New Zealand in Gqeberha on October 16 and October 23, respectively.

What is the format of the 2027 Cricket World Cup?

The tournament will begin with a preliminary round, in which two of the three lowest-ranked teams will be eliminated. The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups for a round-robin stage.

The top three teams from each group, along with the best-performing fourth-placed side, will advance to the Super Seven stage. The competition will then proceed to the semi-finals and final.

Will the upcoming event be Virat Kohli’s last?

India batter Virat Kohli, 37, confirmed during a televised interview at the tournament launch in Cape Town that the 2027 edition would be his final World Cup.

Kohli spoke about the demands of maintaining intensity throughout a World Cup, particularly in overseas conditions. He said his motivation was to give everything in his final appearance for India.

Australia captain Pat Cummins also discussed the attention surrounding matches against India. He said he was frequently reminded of Australia's victory in the 2023 World Cup final and acknowledged that India would be eager for revenge.