The Shubman Gill-led Indian side will take on defending champions Australia in their opening game of the Men's ODI World Cup in Cape Town on October 7, 2027. The contest will also kickstart the group stage of the tournament after the preliminary Super Series round.
India are in Group A with Afghanistan, Australia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and a qualifier from the Super Series part of the tournament. Group B will see Bangladesh, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and the other qualifiers from the preliminary part of the World Cup.
After the Australia clash, India will then go on to face Pakistan on October 10 in Johannesburg before taking on Afghanistan on October 14 in Tshwane. They will then take on Qualifier A in Bloemfontein before travelling to Zimbabwe for the clash against the home team at the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls. This World Cup is likely to be the swansong for veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the two senior India stars who are keen to lift the trophy after the heartbreak in 2023.
The tournament will begin on October 2, 2027 with 14 teams going up against each other for the biggest prize in the sport. The World Cup will see 57 matches played across 12 venues in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe with the summit clash to be played on November 21 in Johannesburg. The last time the city hosted a men's ODI World Cup final was in 2003 when India lost to Australia in the summit clash.
“The ICC remains committed to making its World Cup events accessible to as many fans as possible, with affordable ticket prices and options that bring families, young people and local communities closer to the action," ICC Chair Jay Shah said in a statement.
“South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will provide an unforgettable stage for the world’s best teams, combining a deep passion for cricket, extraordinary destinations and a renowned warmth of welcome. We look forward to welcoming fans from across the world and creating memories that will last long beyond the final,” he added.
Earlier this year, the ICC changed the tournament format where they added a preliminary Super Series with the last three ranked teams going against each other once. Top two teams will qualify for the main event divided into two groups. After the round robin stage, the top seven teams across two groups will advance to the Super 7 stage. From there on, the top four teams will enter the semifinal.