ICC Schedule Sets Up Potential Second India-Pakistan Clash in Cape Town on November 7
The International Cricket Council's 2027 World Cup schedule, released on Thursday, has been constructed around a deliberate principle: competitive balance between the two groups — and it has left the door open for a second India-Pakistan meeting at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on November 7.
Groups built for parity
Going by ICC ODI rankings, the two groups are close to evenly matched. Group A comprises India (ranked No. 1), Australia (No. 4), Pakistan (No. 5), Afghanistan (No. 8) and Zimbabwe (No. 11). The sum of those rankings is 29 (1+4+5+8+11). A sixth side, Qualifier A, is part of the group but has not yet been identified.
Group B's rankings — New Zealand (No. 2), South Africa (No. 3), England (No. 6), Sri Lanka (No. 7) and Bangladesh (No. 9) — add up to 27 (2+3+6+7+9), leaving out Qualifier B, whose identity is also still unknown.
The numbers for the two groups are almost identical, and the slight difference in the final counts could be because the rankings at the time the draw was made differed from the latest rankings. There is a clear attempt to bring about parity between the groups and put them on an equal footing.
Pre-seeding explained
The ICC also gave pre-seedings to teams so that fans can pre-book tickets for their preferred sides for later-stage games. India are A1, Australia A2, Pakistan A3, England AB4, New Zealand B1, South Africa B2 and Sri Lanka B3.
The pre-seedings were done as per popular expectations, and A1 does not necessarily mean that India are being presumed to have topped Group A. The pre-seedings are for the purpose of the draw and, if India were not to qualify, the team replacing them would take the A1 seeding.
A possible third meeting, too
Going by the pre-seedings, India's Super 7s match against Pakistan — their second meeting with the arch-rivals after the initial group-stage game on October 10 — could be on November 7 in Cape Town. The fixture, of course, is subject to both teams qualifying for the Super 7s stage.
The arch-rivals could also meet for a third time, either in the semi-finals or the final, should both sides progress that far. That is, however, a proposition with a big if.
India's projected Super 7s route
India's other Super 7s games should be against Australia in Victoria Falls on October 28, South Africa in Johannesburg on October 31, New Zealand in Paarl on November 4, England in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) on November 11 and, finally, Sri Lanka in Durban on November 14.
The schedule is based on India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka making it to the Super 7s stage. But then, the World Cup has a way of throwing up surprises, and things do not always go according to script.