The ICC has confirmed the full schedule for the 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup, with India is opening their campaign against Australia on October 7.
India and Pakistan are set to face each other twice in the 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup, with the two sides drawn into the same group and also pre-seeded into the same half of the Super 7s draw. The two teams will first meet in the Group Stage on October 10, 2027, and are potentially scheduled to clash again in the Super 7s on November 7, 2027 at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.
The ICC released the full schedule for the tournament on October 1, 2026. The competition runs from October 4 to November 21, 2027 across three host nations: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Because India and Pakistan are placed in the same half of the Super 7s bracket, a third meeting between the two sides would only be possible in the final, not in the semi-finals.
Group A consists of India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A. Group B features New Zealand, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Qualifier B. The ICC noted that the ranking sums of the two groups are 29 and 27 respectively, reflecting a competitive balance across both halves of the draw.
What does the Super 7s phase look like for India?
The Super 7s phase runs from October 25 to November 14, 2027, with seven teams each playing six matches. The ICC pre-seeded teams ahead of this phase to allow fans to pre-book tickets. The pre-seedings assigned are: A1 India, A2 Australia, A3 Pakistan, AB4 England, B1 New Zealand, B2 South Africa and B3 Sri Lanka.
India's confirmed Super 7s fixtures are: Australia at Victoria Falls on October 28, South Africa in Johannesburg on October 31, New Zealand in Paarl on November 4, Pakistan in Cape Town on November 7, England in Gqeberha on November 11 and Sri Lanka in Durban on November 14. The India versus Pakistan fixture at Newlands Stadium on November 7 is the standout match of the Super 7s phase and will be the second time the two sides meet in the tournament.
India are ranked first in Group A, while Pakistan are ranked third. Both sides have been pre-seeded into the same half of the Super 7s draw, which means the bracket keeps them on a path where they cannot meet in the semi-finals. A second meeting in the Super 7s is confirmed by the schedule, while a third encounter would require both teams to reach the final.
How are the semi-finals and final structured?
Following the Super 7s phase, the tournament moves into the knockout rounds. The two semi-finals are scheduled for November 17 in Cape Town and November 18 in Tshwane. The final will be held on November 21, 2027 in Johannesburg.
Since India and Pakistan share the same half of the Super 7s bracket, the draw does not place them on opposite sides of the knockout stage. This means the two sides cannot be guaranteed to meet in the semi-finals. However, a third India versus Pakistan meeting remains possible if both teams qualify for the final on November 21 in Johannesburg, making the summit clash a potential blockbuster occasion for world cricket.