In the new format of the ICC World Cup 2027, there is a possibility of three matches between India and Pakistan. Know the complete equation and the new structure of the tournament.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced the new format for the ODI and T20 Cricket World Cups. This new format promises to be more exciting than the old one.
According to this new format, cricket fans might get to see more than one clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. Let's understand this entire equation in detail.
The ICC Men's ODI Cricket World Cup will continue to feature 14 teams, but the tournament's format has now completely changed. It will be a three-stage competition.
In the first stage, a Super Series will be played among the 12th, 13th, and 14th ranked teams. The team that tops this series will qualify for the main round.
This means that the main round will have a total of 12 teams. These teams will be divided into two separate groups of 6 each.
After the group stage, the top three teams from each group will advance to the 'Super 7'. Additionally, the best fourth-placed team from both groups will also get a spot in the next round.
The Super 7 will also be a round-robin stage, where all teams will face each other. From here, the top 4 teams will secure their place in the semifinals. The two teams that win the semifinals will compete for the title in the final.
Now, let's come to the biggest question: how many times can India and Pakistan face each other? Let's assume that India and Pakistan are in the same group in the main round.
If both teams play each other in the group stage and qualify for the next round, they will also face each other in the Super Six (Super 7). This would be their second encounter.
After that, if both teams are at the first and fourth or second and third positions in the points table after the Super 7 stage, they could also clash in the semifinals.
However, if they do not meet in the semifinals and win their respective semifinal matches, cricket fans could witness a dream final between India and Pakistan. Thus, three high-voltage matches between India and Pakistan can be played in the same World Cup.
A total of 14 teams will participate in the ODI World Cup 2027, with a total of 57 matches, including the final. This World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. There will be 3 matches in the first round, 30 in the second, and 21 in the third, followed by the knockout matches.
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