Delhi: The 2027 ODI World Cup is going to be very special for cricket fans. This tournament, to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, can start on 2 October 2027 i.e. on Gandhi Jayanti. However, ICC has not yet officially announced the entire schedule of the tournament.
According to the report, earlier it was revealed that the World Cup would start from October 8, but now the date can be changed. If the date of October 2 is fixed, then the final of the tournament can be played on November 21, 2027.
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14 teams will play in the 2027 World Cup
This time a total of 14 teams will participate in the ODI World Cup. So far 10 teams have confirmed their places. Apart from hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, these include India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
The remaining four teams will be decided through qualifiers. For this, a qualifying tournament will be played between 10 teams.
There will be competitions in three countries
The 2027 ODI World Cup matches will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Maximum number of matches will be held in South Africa.
Major venues in South Africa include Wanderers in Johannesburg, Centurion, Newlands in Cape Town, Kingsmead in Durban and St George's Park in Gqberha.
In Zimbabwe, matches will be held in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, while in Namibia, Windhoek will host the matches.
What will be the format of the World Cup?
The format of the 2027 World Cup will be different from the last two ODI World Cups. There will be 14 teams in the tournament and a total of 57 matches will be played.
The tournament will start with a preliminary stage of three teams. After this 12 teams will be divided into two groups. After the group stage, there will be a Super 7 stage and then the semi-finals and finals will be played.
India will have its eyes on the second trophy
The Indian team will be a big contender for the title in the 2027 World Cup. In 2023, India performed brilliantly and reached the finals, but missed the trophy due to the defeat against Australia.
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Now the Indian team will face a new challenge in the conditions of South Africa. Fans will especially keep an eye on which young players cement their place in the team by 2027.
At present the biggest question is regarding the start date of the World Cup. If ICC approves on 2 October 2027, then this big cricket tournament will start on the day of Gandhi Jayanti.