India and Pakistan could meet as many as three times at the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup after the tournament adopted a new 14-team format. The arch-rivals will face each other in the Group Stage on October 10 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, with further meetings possible in the Super 7s and knockout rounds.
Notably, the International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the World Cup schedule on October 1. The highly anticipated tournament will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, with 14 teams competing across the three countries before the semi-finals and final determine the champion.
India and Pakistan Drawn Together in Competitive Group A
India and Pakistan are part of Group A alongside defending champions Australia, <a href="https://cricket.international/afghanistan-announce-squads-for-bangladesh-and-zimbabwe-series/” title=”Afghanistan announce squads for Bangladesh and Zimbabwe series”>Afghanistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe, and one yet-to-be-determined qualifier. The Men in Blue are ranked No. 1, followed by Australia at No. 4, Pakistan at No. 5, Afghanistan at No. 8 and Zimbabwe at No. 11.
India and Pakistan will open their World Cup rivalry on October 10 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The fixture will be one of the most closely followed matches of the Group Stage, but their first meeting could be only the beginning.
Group B features New Zealand, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Qualifier B. New Zealand are ranked No. 2, South Africa No. 3, England No. 6, Sri Lanka No. 7 and Bangladesh No. 9. The ICC has attempted to create a relatively even balance between the two groups.
New Super 7 Format Opens Door for Second India vs Pakistan Clash
After the Group Stage, the top three teams from each group and the best fourth-placed side overall will progress to the Super 7s. The seven teams will then play each other once in a round-robin format. The four highest-ranked teams at the end of the Super 7 stage will qualify for the semi-finals.
The ICC has also assigned pre-seedings to the leading teams. India are A1, Australia are A2, and Pakistan are A3 in Group A. New Zealand are B1, South Africa B2, Sri Lanka B3, while England have been given the AB4 seeding.
If India and Pakistan both qualify for the Super 7 stage, their second meeting is scheduled for November 7 at Newlands in Cape Town, based on the pre-seeding structure. However, the fixture will only take place if both teams progress from the Group Stage.
Based on the current pre-seeding arrangement, India and Pakistan could meet again on November 7 at Newlands in Cape Town during the Super 7 stage. The match would only take place if both teams qualify for the next phase.
India’s Projected Super 7 Schedule and Wider 2027 Rivalry
If the pre-seeded teams qualify for the Super 7s, India are scheduled to play six matches across South Africa and Zimbabwe. Their campaign would begin against Australia in Victoria Falls on October 28, followed by a meeting with South Africa in Johannesburg on October 31.
India would then face New Zealand in Paarl on November 4 before their potential second meeting with Pakistan in Cape Town on November 7. The remaining matches would see India take on England in Gqeberha on November 11 and Sri Lanka in Durban on November 14.
The possibility of three India-Pakistan matches at the World Cup after the two teams could feature in several meetings in 2027. The Asia Cup is scheduled to take place around five months before the World Cup.
If the teams meet twice in the Asia Cup and three times at the World Cup, they could play five matches across the two tournaments. The number could rise further depending on the format and knockout results.
Source: cricketaddictor.com
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