2027 Cricket World Cup: England avoid Australia and India in group stage as fixtures revealed for 50-over tournament | Cricket News

England have avoided fellow heavyweights Australia and India in the group stage of the 2027 Men’s 50-over World Cup in Africa.

Harry Brook’s side are placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, co-hosts South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and a qualifier for a tournament that runs from October 2 to November 21 next year.

Defending champions Australia join India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, another co-host Zimbabwe and a qualifier in Group A of the event.

Namibia will also host matches during the tournament.

Australia face India in a repeat of the 2023 final – which the Baggy Greens won by six wickets in Ahmedabad to claim a record-extending sixth title – in the group-stage opener in Cape Town on October 7.

That game will be preceded by three qualifying matches, on October 2, 4, and 6, to determine the final entrant for the competition proper.

England, champions on home soil in 2019 before being dumped out in round one in India four years later, begin their campaign against Bangladesh in Windhoek, Namibia on October 8, while they then face Sri Lanka at the same venue on October 13.

A meeting with South Africa follows in Gqeberha on October 16, ahead of a game against a qualifier in Harare on October 20.

England then return to Gqeberha on October 23 to conclude the group stage campaign against New Zealand, the side they edged on boundary countback to win the 2019 final at Lord’s and claim a maiden ODI World Cup title.

In Group A, India face Pakistan in Johannesburg on October 10.

Those two nations only face each other in major tournaments due to political unrest.

The top three teams in each pool plus the best fourth-placed side will advance to the Super 7 stage, with the top four countries after that phase making the semi-finals on November 17 and 18, in Cape Town and Centurion respectively.

The final will take place in Johannesburg on November 21.