India to open 2027 World Cup against Australia, face Pakistan on October 10

New Delhi: India will begin their 2027 ODI World Cup campaign against defending champions Australia in Cape Town on October 7, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced in Cape Town on Thursday.The two finalists from the last edition will kick off the round-robin stage. The tournament will begin on October 2 with a three-match Super Series to determine two qualifiers.As has been the trend in ICC events over the last decade, India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group and are slated to face each other on October 10 in Johannesburg. The 51-day tournament will conclude with the final in Johannesburg on November 21.India will get a two-day break before the match against Pakistan, who will play their opening match against Afghanistan in Tshwane on October 8.The 12 teams have been divided into two groups, with the top three from each group and the best fourth-placed team advancing to the Super 7 phase, followed by the two semifinals.Besides India, Australia and Pakistan, the other teams in Group A are Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, with one qualifier yet to be decided.Interestingly, the seedings for the Super 7 phase have been pre-decided on the basis of the ICC ODI rankings as of September 30, 2026. India, Australia and Pakistan are seeded A1, A2 and A3 respectively, while England are seeded AB4. New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka are seeded B1, B2 and B3 respectively.Should a non-seeded team finish in a qualifying position above a pre-seeded team, it will assume the Super 7 position allocated to the pre-seeded team it has displaced.This has been done to make it easier for fans to plan their travel for the tournament.Group B features hosts South Africa, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, along with the other qualifier.The Super 7 seedings will remain fixed irrespective of where the top three teams from each group finish in the first round. The ICC has understood to have adopted the system to make it easier for fans to plan their travel for the tournament.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.