Indian and Pakistan cricket fans are braced for a problem of plenty in 2027 after the ODI World Cup schedule was announced.
The bitter rivals were drawn in Group A for next year's 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. They will face off at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on October 10.
The schedule is by design as organisers now put both teams in the same group to guarantee at least one India v Pakistan match; the T20 final between the rivals in the recently concluded Asian Games was the most watched in the Games' history.
With a new format in place at the ODI World Cup, India and Pakistan could face each other as many as three times – in the group phase, Super Seven stage and the semi-finals/final, if they make it that far.
That is not the only tournament where the two countries will clash in 2027. As has become the norm in recent years, the Asia Cup will serve as a warm-up for the World Cup, changing its format to ODIs next season.
The tournament is scheduled to take place in Bangladesh. There as well, India and Pakistan are likely to face off twice and possibly three times in case they enter title contest.
Which means that after a relative paucity of matches between the traditional rivals in recent years, which were largely centred around the T20 format, supporters of India and Pakistan could witness as many as six 50-over contests next year.
Last hurrah for Kohli and Rohit
White-ball legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will almost certainly play their last matches in India colours during the ODI World Cup.
Both stars have unfinished business at the tournament, having come within touching distance of the trophy during the 2023 World Cup where India were comfortably the best team in the tournament, only to lose to Australia in the final.
Kohli has already declared that the 2027 tournament will be his last for India. Rohit is also hoping to feature in the World Cup and make up for the lost opportunity as captain three years back.
India have been placed in the same group as Australia and their match will open the second stage of the World Cup in Cape Town on October 7.
Afghanistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe and an as yet unknown qualifier are also in Group A with the top three teams in each pool advancing to the Super 7 phase, along with the best of the fourth-placed teams across the two pools.
Co-hosts South Africa, who have yet to lift the World Cup, are in Group B with England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and another qualifier.
