CAPE TOWN (Kashmir English): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the complete schedule for the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup, with Pakistan placed in Group A alongside India, Australia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and one qualifier.
The 14-team tournament will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia and is scheduled to begin on October 2, 2027.
Pakistan will open its World Cup campaign against Afghanistan in Tshwane on October 8 before facing arch-rivals India in Johannesburg on October 10.
The Green Shirts will then take on Qualifier A in Bloemfontein on October 15, followed by a match against Zimbabwe in Harare on October 19. Pakistan will complete its group-stage campaign against Australia in Paarl on October 22.
Pakistan’s group-stage fixtures
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2027 | Pakistan vs Afghanistan | Tshwane |
| October 10, 2027 | Pakistan vs India | Johannesburg |
| October 15, 2027 | Pakistan vs Qualifier A | Bloemfontein |
| October 19, 2027 | Pakistan vs Zimbabwe | Harare |
| October 22, 2027 | Pakistan vs Australia | Paarl |
Group B features New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.
Under the new format, the top three teams from each group will advance to the Super 7 stage, while the fourth-placed team with the better record between the two groups will take the seventh spot.
No points will be carried forward from the group stage. The seven Super 7 teams will play six matches each between October 25 and November 14.
Pakistan has been pre-seeded as A3 for the Super 7 stage. If the team qualifies, its schedule will follow the A3 position.
Pakistan’s potential Super 7 fixtures
| Date | Fixture | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| October 26 | New Zealand vs Pakistan | Gqeberha |
| October 30 | Pakistan vs England | Victoria Falls |
| November 3 | South Africa vs Pakistan | Durban |
| November 7 | India vs Pakistan | Cape Town |
| November 10 | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | Bloemfontein |
| November 13 | Australia vs Pakistan | Bloemfontein |
These fixtures will apply if the corresponding seeded teams qualify for the Super 7 stage.
The top four teams in the Super 7 standings will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town and November 18 in Tshwane.
The World Cup final will be played in Johannesburg on November 21, with November 22 reserved as the reserve day.
The tournament will be played across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The event will begin with a three-team Super Series in Windhoek from October 2 to 6 to determine the final team entering the group stage.
