India to play 13 matches for 2027 World Cup title after ICC releases schedule
India begins the 2027 ODI World Cup against Australia on October 7 and faces Pakistan three days later after the ICC released the full schedule on Thursday.
The ICC released the 2027 ODI World Cup schedule on Thursday. India opens against Australia in Cape Town on October 7 before facing Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10. The 14-team tournament runs from October 2 to November 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
India sits in Group A with Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and one qualifier. The top three from each group plus the best fourth-placed team advance to the Super 7 stage. No points carry over from the group phase, and the top four teams from the Super 7 reach the semi-finals.
The format requires direct entrants to play 13 matches over six-and-a-half weeks. India could meet Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, England, South Africa and Sri Lanka in the Super 7 if all pre-seeded sides qualify. The final is scheduled for Johannesburg on November 21.
CricHubb Take
The expanded 14-team format and Super 7 reset mean the 2027 winner must win across two separate league stages, not once. A team that sweeps its group stage will still need to beat every other elite side again in the Super 7 with zero carry-over advantage. That structure rewards depth and squad rotation more than peak form in any single phase.