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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Australia’s 2027 ODI World Cup fixtures <\/p>\n
Group A<\/p>\n
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October 7: v India, Newlands, Cape Town<\/p>\n
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October 12: v Qualifier, Boland Park, Paarl<\/p>\n
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October 15: v Zimbabwe, Harare Sports Club<\/p>\n
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October 18: v Afghanistan, Buffalo Park, KuGompo City<\/p>\n
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October 22: v Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The semi-finals will be played in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria) and Cape Town ahead of the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Australia have been placed in Group A, alongside India, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Pakistan and a yet-to-be-determined qualifier.<\/p>\n
Currently 10 teams have qualified for the 14-team event, with South Africa, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also locked in.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The remaining four berths will be determined at an ICC qualifying tournament next February-March.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Super 7s (pending qualification)<\/p>\n
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teams in brackets are pre-seeded allocations*<\/p>\n
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October 25: v B3 (Sri Lanka), Wanderers, Johannesburg<\/p>\n
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October 28: v A1 (India), Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls<\/p>\n
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November 1: v B1 (New Zealand), Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls<\/p>\n
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November 5: v AB4 (England), Kingsmead, Durban<\/p>\n
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November 9: v B2 (South Africa), St George’s Park, Gqeberha<\/p>\n
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November 13: v A3 (Pakistan), Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein<\/p>\n
The top four ranked sides from the Seven 7s stage move into the semi-finals in a standard 1v4, 2v3 structure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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).<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“When things don’t quite go to plan \u2013 we came here to win this series \u2013 there’s some great lessons learned.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Australia’s 2027 ODI World Cup fixtures <\/p>\n
GROUP A<\/p>\n
October 7: v India, Newlands, Cape Town, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
October 12: v Qualifier, Boland Park, Paarl, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
October 15: v Zimbabwe, Harare Sports Club, 8:30pm AEDT (12:30pm local)<\/p>\n
October 18: v Afghanistan, Buffalo Park, KuGompo City, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
October 22: v Pakistan, Boland Park, Paarl, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
SUPER 7s (pending qualification)<\/p>\n
October 25: v B3, Wanderers, Johannesburg, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
October 28: v A2, Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
November 1: v B1, Mosi-oa-Tunya, Victoria Falls, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
November 5: v AB4, Kingsmead, Durban, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n
November 9: v B2, St George’s Park, Gqeberha, 8:30pm AEDT (12:30pm local)<\/p>\n
November 13: v A3, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein, 6pm AEDT (10am local)<\/p>\n