New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is looking at October 2 2027 as the day to begin the 2027 ODI World Cup. This could mean that the start of the 50-over cricket tournament is in line with Gandhi Jayanti as per reports. The International Cricket Council has not yet officially said when the tournament will start.
What is the reason of this date?
The plan to begin the World Cup, hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary is seen as having a special message. Gandhi spread the message of peace and non-violence to the entire world and also has a deep connection to South Africa.
If the ICC’s proposal go through, then the 2027 Cricket World Cup will be launched on October 2nd, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
What about the previous date?
As per the initial plan, the 2027 ODI World Cup was to start from October 8. There were plans to conduct warm-up matches from 1 to 7 October before the tournament. However, now there is a possibility of a change in the schedule. Under the new plan, the main tournament can start from October 2 and the warm-up matches can be conducted in a shorter time before that. The final of the World Cup is currently expected to be held on November 21. If the schedule remains the same, then this tournament of 14 teams will last for about 50 days.
What about the venues?
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia have been given the 2027 ODI World Cup hosting rights. The ICC recently shared the 12 venues for these three countries during an event. Eight cities in South Africa will be the places where the matches are played. These include Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, Centurion, Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban, St. Georges Park in Gqeberha Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein Boland Park in Paarl and Buffalo Park in Kgyumpo City, East London. In Zimbabwe, Harare Sports Club, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo and Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls have been chosen. The Namibia Cricket Ground, in Windhoek the capital of Namibia will be the venue.
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Is the format of the World Cup changed?
The 2027 ODI World Cup has changed not only the date but also the format of the tournament. Under the new format, the three lowest-ranked teams will first play a mini-league, called the Super Series. The winner of this Super Series will join the 11 teams participating in the main tournament to form a 12-team field. The 12 teams will then be divided into two groups. Teams in both groups will play against each other. After the group stage, there will be a Super Seven stage. This will be followed by the semi-finals and then the final.
Which teams have qualified?
So far 10 teams have confirmed their place for the 2027 World Cup. These include India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, apart from the two co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe. The remaining four teams will be decided from the qualifiers to be held next year. A total of 10 teams will participate in this qualifier. These include West Indies and Ireland, apart from co-hosts Namibia. That is, the entire field of the 2027 ODI World Cup has not been decided yet, but if the new plan of ICC is approved, then the tournament can start on 2 October 2027, Gandhi Jayanti, and it can be linked to a special historical message.
