2027 Cricket World Cup draw: Australia to open title defence against India
The group-stage draw for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, has produced some high-profile pool fixtures, alongside Virat Kohli's confirmation that the tournament will be his last for India.
What happened
The group-stage draw for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup has been held.35
According to ABC News (Australia), Australia will open its title defence against India, the team it beat to win the 2023 World Cup, in South Africa.5
England were drawn into a different group from defending champions Australia and top-ranked India.3
According to SABC News, South Africa's opening fixture will be against New Zealand.1
Virat Kohli announced that the 2027 World Cup will be his last tournament for India.49
The 2027 World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.9
Key points
Where accounts differ
Each account is attributed to who makes it. We do not judge between them.
Whether India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet in the pool phase of the 2027 Cricket World Cup
CNA (Singapore, state-controlled)
Reports that India and Pakistan will clash in the pool phase of the 2027 Cricket World Cup.7
What the coverage leaves out
- None of the outlets reviewed reported the full group-stage composition beyond select fixtures, such as which other teams join India, Pakistan, Australia and England in their respective groups.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported the exact dates or venues for the India-Pakistan or Australia-India matches.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported reaction from Pakistani or Indian cricket boards to the draw itself.
- The claim that South Africa will open against New Zealand comes from a single outlet (S1) and was not cross-verified elsewhere in the sources reviewed.
- The report of an India-Pakistan pool-phase meeting comes from a single outlet (S7, state-controlled) and was not corroborated by other sources reviewed; a second outlet's headline (S2) could not be verified to refer to the same fixture or format.
Why it matters
Kohli, 37, previously retired from T20 Internationals and Test cricket and now plays for India only in the 50-over format; he has scored 14,941 ODI runs, second to Sachin Tendulkar's 18,426.9
Kohli won the World Cup on home soil in 2011 before losing the 2023 final to Australia.9
Pakistan's domestic PSL 12 tournament is set to start on March 19, 2027, overlapping with the IPL as in previous years.6
What to watch
- India's full fixture schedule for the 2027 ODI World Cup, as referenced but not detailed in some coverage.
- Whether Kohli's final World Cup campaign draws further coverage as the tournament approaches.
- Whether an India-Pakistan pool-phase meeting, reported by CNA, is confirmed by further outlets.
Sources (10)
Every outlet we drew on, grouped by where it is based. Read the originals for the full reporting.
Europe
- 3BBC SportGBPublic broadcaster
Middle East & Turkey
- 4Al Jazeera EnglishQAState-controlled
Virat Kohli says he will retire from India cricket after 2027 World Cup
Africa
- 1SABC NewsZAPublic broadcaster
Proteas first encounter for 2027 World Cup will be New Zealand
- 8Daily MaverickZAIndependent
NEW POSITION: Wallabies set to challenge Springboks’ air supremacy in Perth showdown
South Asia
- 6The Express TribunePKPrivate
- 9DawnPKPrivate
- 10The Economic TimesINPrivate
East Asia
- 2Taipei TimesTWPrivate
Southeast Asia
- 7CNASGState-controlled
India and Pakistan to clash in pool phase at 2027 Cricket World Cup
Oceania
- 5ABC News (Australia)AUPublic broadcaster
Australia and India to kick off next year's Cricket World Cup