Pakistan, India and Australia Drawn in Same Group for 2027 Cricket World Cup
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Pakistan, India and defending champions Australia have been placed in the same group for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, according to the schedule announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
India will begin its campaign against Australia in Cape Town on October 7, before facing Pakistan in Johannesburg three days later on October 10.
The 2027 World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The tournament is scheduled to begin on October 2, while the final will be played on November 21.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match will take place at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium, one of the largest venues in the tournament. The fixture is expected to attract significant interest from cricket fans.
Zimbabwe and Afghanistan are also part of Group A, along with one team that will qualify for the tournament.
Zimbabwe will play all of its group-stage matches on home soil. The team will have two games in Bulawayo, two in Harare and a final group fixture against India at Victoria Falls.
Group B Schedule
South Africa will begin its Group B campaign against New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9. England will play Bangladesh in Windhoek, Namibia, a day earlier.
England are also scheduled to face South Africa in Gqeberha on October 16 and New Zealand at the same venue on October 23.
Sri Lanka and another qualifier will complete Group B.
Virat Kohli Confirms Final World Cup
India batter Virat Kohli, who is 37, said during the tournament launch in Cape Town that the 2027 edition will be his final Cricket World Cup.
Kohli highlighted the physical and mental demands of maintaining intensity throughout a long World Cup campaign, particularly when playing in overseas conditions.
Australian captain Pat Cummins also spoke about the India-Australia opening fixture, recalling the significance of their 2023 World Cup final.
World Cup Format
The tournament will begin with a preliminary stage involving the three lowest-ranked teams, with two teams being eliminated.
The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups for round-robin matches. The top three teams from each group, along with the best fourth-placed team, will progress to the Super Seven stage.
The competition will then move into the knockout phase, featuring semi-finals followed by the final.
Pakistan vs India Rivalry
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series against each other for many years because of political tensions between the two countries. Their recent meetings have largely been limited to ICC tournaments.
The two teams last played a bilateral series in India in December 2012, when Pakistan toured for three ODIs and two T20 internationals.
India have won all eight of their previous Cricket World Cup matches against Pakistan, while they have also won eight of the nine encounters between the teams in T20 World Cups.
The upcoming World Cup fixture in Johannesburg will add another chapter to one of international cricket’s most closely followed rivalries.
