England to face co-hosts South Africa as 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup fixtures announced

The schedule for the 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup has been revealed at a launch event in Cape Town to mark the one year countdown to the 14th edition of the tournament, co-hosted across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Following a preliminary round which gets the tournament underway on October 2nd, the main group stage action begins with a repeat of the 2023 final as India face Australia in Cape Town on October 7th.

Harry Brook’s England will get their Group B campaign underway against Bangladesh in Windhoek on October 8th.

Semi-finals are set for November 17th and 18th in Cape Town and Tshwane respectively, with the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg selected for the 57th and final match of the tournament on Sunday November 21st (all three knockout contests are day matches).

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England avoid big guns but handed much-fancied hosts

England have been placed in Group B, along with co-hosts South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.

England’s first two matches against Bangladesh (October 8th) and Sri Lanka (October 13th) will be at Windhoek in Namibia, with St George’s Park in Gqeberha to stage the clash with the Proteas on October 16th.

Then comes a trip to Harare in Zimbabwe for a meeting with Qualifier B (October 20th), where England boycotted the fixture at the 2003 World Cup due to political unrest.

It will be the first time they have played in the country since 2004.

The group stage is rounded off with a return to Gqeberha and a tricky test against New Zealand on October 23rd.

In terms of their opponents, a resurgent England team in the ODI format have already beaten Sri Lanka home and away this year and will face them again in a few weeks time, as part of the tri-series in Pakistan.

Brendon McCullum’s side also play three matches against South Africa in January upon the conclusion of the Test series, while their tournament send-off at the end of the next home summer is a five-match series with the Kiwis.

Early blockbuster encounters

The co-hosts and possible tournament favourites South Africa face a tough start in their opening Group B match as they take on 2015 and 2019 runners-up New Zealand in Cape Town on October 9th.

As for Group A, that contains tournament holders Australia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and co-hosts Zimbabwe, with Qualifier A to join.

Following the mouthwatering clash to commence the group stages between India and Australia at the iconic Newlands (October 7th), India then head to Johannesburg for the always hotly-anticipated, albeit largely one-sided, head-to-head with Pakistan just a few days later on October 10th.

That venue holds a significant place in the rivalry as it is where India beat Pakistan by five runs to win the first-ever T20 World Cup final in 2007.

Format rejig

It had long been announced that the 50-over event would revert back to 14 teams as in 2011 and 2015, following two editions of a ten-team format in 2019 and 2023.

However, earlier this summer the ICC announced an alteration to the structure with a ‘Super Series’ and ‘Super 7’ added to create a three-stage tournament before the semi-finals.

In Round One, the three lowest-ranked of the four teams to progress from the Qualifier event early next year will play in the Super Series, with just the top team advancing.

Round Two is the main group phase consisting of 30 matches, with the top three teams from two groups of six progressing, as well as the best-ranked fourth-placed side.

Round Three is the Super 7, a round robin of 21 matches with points reset, whereby the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals (first vs fourth and second vs third).

It is therefore possible for two sides drawn in the same initial group to meet up to three times en route to the final, at which stage the two teams remaining will be playing their 13th game of the tournament.

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