Cape Town, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India will begin their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 campaign against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7, setting up a repeat of the 2023 final in their opening Group A fixture.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the 14-team tournament, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 2 to November 21, 2027. The tournament will feature 57 matches across 12 venues.
Three days after their opener, India will face arch-rivals Pakistan at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium on October 10. India will then play Afghanistan in Tshwane on October 14, followed by a match against Qualifier A in Bloemfontein on October 17. Their Group A campaign will conclude against Zimbabwe at the new Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium in Victoria Falls on October 24.
India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A form Group A, while Group B comprises New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.
The tournament will begin on October 2 with a three-team Super Series in Windhoek involving the second-, third- and fourth-placed teams from the 2027 World Cup Qualifier. The winner will claim the final Group Stage spot.
The top three teams from each group, along with the better fourth-placed side, will advance to the seven-team Super 7 phase. The teams will play a single round-robin, with the top four advancing to the semifinals.
The semifinals are scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town and November 18 in Tshwane, while the final will be played at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on November 21. All three knockout matches have reserve days.
India and Pakistan could meet again in the Super 7 stage if both qualify. Under the pre-tournament seeding, India are designated A1 and Pakistan A3, with a potential meeting scheduled for November 7 in Cape Town. India are also scheduled to face Australia in the Super 7 phase on October 28 in Victoria Falls under the published seeding structure.
The 2027 edition marks the return of the Men’s Cricket World Cup to Africa after the 2003 tournament, which was co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
The ICC has also opened a ticket ballot for fans. Ticket prices are listed from USD 9.62 for entry-level matches to USD 31.31 for the highest-tier fixtures, with family, student, pensioner, community club and school pricing options also announced.
India’s Group A schedule
- October 7: India vs Australia — Cape Town
- October 10: India vs Pakistan — Johannesburg
- October 14: India vs Afghanistan — Tshwane
- October 17: India vs Qualifier A — Bloemfontein
- October 24: Zimbabwe vs India — Victoria Falls
FOLLOW NOW
