Pakistan Drawn With India And Australia For 2027 World Cup

Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside India and Australia for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, setting up one of the tournament’s most closely watched early matchups. The schedule announced by the International Cricket Council confirms that Pakistan will begin their campaign against India in Johannesburg on October 10.

The grouping immediately adds major attention to the opening phase of the event, with three high-profile cricket nations drawn together. India and Australia are scheduled to meet first on October 7 in Cape Town, before Pakistan enter the tournament with their headline fixture three days later.

The 2027 edition will begin on October 2 and conclude with the final on November 21. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will host the tournament, bringing the World Cup back to southern Africa with matches spread across multiple venues during the nearly seven-week competition.

Group A features India, Pakistan, Australia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and one qualifier. Group B includes South Africa, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and another qualifier. The structure means several major teams will face pressure early, with qualification from the group stage likely to depend on consistency from the start.

The Pakistan-India fixture is expected to attract intense global interest because bilateral cricket between the two sides has remained suspended for years. Their meetings have largely been limited to International Cricket Council and multi-nation events, making each fixture a major sporting and commercial occasion.

The tournament will also carry added significance for senior players across teams. Virat Kohli has indicated that the event will be his final World Cup, while Australia captain Pat Cummins has described the India-Australia contest as one of the major early challenges. For Pakistan, the opening match against India gives the campaign an immediate test of temperament, preparation and execution under pressure.