England dodge Australia and India in 2027 World Cup draw
England have avoided defending champions Australia and world number one India in the group-stage draw for the 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup. BBC Sport
The 2019 winners were placed with co-hosts South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and one qualifier. It is a six-team round robin, with every team playing the others once before the tournament narrows.
India and Pakistan were drawn together in the other pool. They will face Australia, Afghanistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe and one qualifier in the same group.
That sets up a striking start. The group stage opens on 7 October with India against Australia in Cape Town, a repeat of the 2023 final. India and Pakistan then meet in Johannesburg on 10 October.
The 14-team tournament will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. ICC Organisers have listed 12 host venues, with 54 matches in total across the 2027 and 2031 editions under the expanded format.
England start against Bangladesh on 8 October. They then face Sri Lanka in Windhoek, Namibia on 13 October before meeting South Africa in Gqeberha on 16 October.
A trip to Harare to play a qualifier follows on 20 October. England close the group against New Zealand in Gqeberha on 23 October.
That Harare date carries history. England boycotted their 2003 World Cup fixture in the city and had not played in Zimbabwe since 2004 ahead of the draw.
The format rewards consistency. The top three in each group plus the best fourth-placed side reach the Super 7, a second group stage for the survivors. The top four from there reach the semi-finals.
Those semi-finals are scheduled for 17 and 18 November, with the final in Johannesburg on 21 November.
For fans, this means little room for a slow start. With only three automatic places from each group, England will almost certainly need at least three wins from five to control their own route through.
