Australia's 2027 World Cup to open with blockbuster clash

Australia's ODI World Cup defence will begin with a rematch of their 2023 final boilover, with the world champions set to face India in Cape Town. 

The ICC released the fixture for the 2027 World Cup, hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, on Friday morning (AEST), with the showpiece event featuring a revamped format.

Australia's 2027 ODI World Cup fixtures

Group A

 

October 7: v India, Newlands, Cape Town

 

October 12: v Qualifier, Boland Park, Paarl

 

October 15: v Zimbabwe, Harare Sports Club

 

October 18: v Afghanistan, Buffalo Park, KuGompo City

 

October 22: v Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl

After playing 11 games during their 2023 triumph (winning their last nine), Australia will play two extra matches if they make it all the way to the decider again in a gruelling seven-week tournament that would take them to nine different cities across South Africa and Zimbabwe in the group stages alone.

The semi-finals will be played in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria) and Cape Town ahead of the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

No longer will every team play each other once. The round-robin format in place for the 2019 and 2023 tournaments has been scrapped in favour of two separate groups and a Super 7s stage. This will all take place following a play-in phase for the three teams ranked 12th-14th, with the winner of that round-robin to enter the main draw.  

Australia have been placed in Group A, alongside India, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Pakistan and a yet-to-be-determined qualifier.

Currently 10 teams have qualified for the 14-team event, with South Africa, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also locked in.

The remaining four berths will be determined at an ICC qualifying tournament next February-March.  

Should the Aussies advance to the Super 7s stage - by finishing in the top three of Group A or being the higher-ranked fourth-placed side - they will play two consecutive matches at the new Victoria Falls stadium, located in Zimbabwe's Mosi-oa-Tunya national park and a stone's throw away from one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Similar to the process at the last two men's T20I World Cups, Australia have been pre-seeded and will be the A2 side in the Super 7s regardless of where they finish in Group A. Assuming all the top-ranked sides qualify for the Super 7s, Australia will also face England, New Zealand and South Africa in addition to India and Pakistan again.  

Super 7s (pending qualification)

 

teams in brackets are pre-seeded allocations*

 

October 25: v B3 (Sri Lanka), Wanderers, Johannesburg

 

October 28: v A1 (India), Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls

 

November 1: v B1 (New Zealand), Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls

 

November 5: v AB4 (England), Kingsmead, Durban

 

November 9: v B2 (South Africa), St George's Park, Gqeberha

 

November 13: v A3 (Pakistan), Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

The top four ranked sides from the Seven 7s stage move into the semi-finals in a standard 1v4, 2v3 structure. 

After their six ODIs against Zimbabwe (winning the series 3-0) and South Africa (a 1-2 defeat), Australia have 50-over series at home against England (in November) and New Zealand (in the Top End in August).

As reported by cricket.com.au last month, it's believed they will also play three more bilateral ODIs against Zimbabwe leading into next year's World Cup. 

"I think we've got 10, maybe 12 games until the World Cup, and there's going to be plenty more opportunities for us to keep growing as a team," stand-in captain Mitch Marsh said in Potchefstroom after a consolation third ODI win over the Proteas.

"When things don't quite go to plan – we came here to win this series – there's some great lessons learned.

"If you look back at the first couple of games, we weren't outplayed for 50 overs, we were outplayed in certain moments, and when we get to a World Cup, it will be those moments that will define it for us."

Australia's 2027 ODI World Cup fixtures

GROUP A

October 7: v India, Newlands, Cape Town, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

October 12: v Qualifier, Boland Park, Paarl, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

October 15: v Zimbabwe, Harare Sports Club, 8:30pm AEDT (12:30pm local)

October 18: v Afghanistan, Buffalo Park, KuGompo City, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

October 22: v Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

SUPER 7s (pending qualification)

October 25: v B3, Wanderers, Johannesburg, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

October 28: v A2, Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

November 1: v B1, Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

November 5: v AB4, Kingsmead, Durban, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

November 9: v B2, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 8:30pm AEDT (12:30pm local)

November 13: v A3, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, 6pm AEDT (10am local)

All matches to be broadcast in Australia exclusively on Prime Video