India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group for the 2027 ODI World Cup, ensuring that cricket’s most closely followed rivalry arrives early in the tournament. The first meeting is scheduled for October 10 in Johannesburg, with the possibility of two more encounters depending on how both sides progress.
Group A places India and Pakistan on the same path
The 2027 ODI World Cup will be staged across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21, 2027. Twelve teams are divided into two groups of six, and the top three from each group, along with the best fourth-placed side, advance to the Super 7 stage.
India are seeded as A1 and Pakistan as A3, with those positions determined by the ICC ODI Rankings on September 30, 2026. That seeding does more than set the opening group structure; it also shapes the path for any possible rematch later in the tournament.
| Team | Group | Seed | First meeting |
|---|
| India | A | A1 | October 10 vs Pakistan |
| Pakistan | A | A3 | October 10 vs India |
India’s schedule shows a compressed early rhythm
India will play five group matches, all of them listed with a 1:30 PM start. Their campaign opens against Australia in Cape Town on October 7, followed by the Pakistan fixture in Johannesburg three days later.
India then face Afghanistan in Centurion on October 14, meet a Qualifier A side in Bloemfontein on October 17, and finish the group stage against Zimbabwe in Victoria Falls on October 24. From a workload perspective, the side has a four-day gap between the first two games and then a steady rhythm through the rest of the group phase.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Start time |
|---|
| October 7 | Australia | Cape Town | 1:30 PM |
| October 10 | Pakistan | Johannesburg | 1:30 PM |
| October 14 | Afghanistan | Centurion | 1:30 PM |
| October 17 | Qualifier A | Bloemfontein | 1:30 PM |
| October 24 | Zimbabwe | Victoria Falls | 1:30 PM |
Pakistan begin with Afghanistan before the India clash
Pakistan’s route is slightly different, beginning in Tshwane on October 8 against Afghanistan. The India fixture follows in Johannesburg on October 10, giving Pakistan only two days between their opening game and the most high-profile clash in their group.
After that, Pakistan meet a Qualifier A side in Bloemfontein on October 15, travel to Harare for a match against Zimbabwe on October 19, and close their group campaign against Australia in Paarl on October 22. The schedule gives them a late group-stage meeting with Australia, which may be significant if qualification places remain undecided.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Start time |
|---|
| October 8 | Afghanistan | Tshwane | 1:30 PM |
| October 10 | India | Johannesburg | 1:30 PM |
| October 15 | Qualifier A | Bloemfontein | 1:30 PM |
| October 19 | Zimbabwe | Harare | 1:30 PM |
| October 22 | Australia | Paarl | 1:30 PM |
Up to three India-Pakistan meetings are possible
The tournament format allows India and Pakistan to meet up to three times. The first is already confirmed in the group stage on October 10. If both teams qualify for the Super 7, they could be drawn against each other again on November 7 in Cape Town.
A third meeting is only possible in the knockout phase. The semifinals are scheduled for November 17 and 18, with the final on November 21 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Since the teams could land in the same semifinal or opposite sides of the bracket, a knockout meeting remains possible, but the ceiling is three matches overall.
| Potential meeting | Date | Stage | Venue |
|---|
| 1 | October 10 | Group stage | Johannesburg |
| 2 | November 7 | Super 7 | Cape Town |
| 3 | November 17 or 18 | Semifinal | To be determined |
| 3 | November 21 | Final, if applicable | Johannesburg |
Why the seeding matters beyond the group draw
Because India and Pakistan were seeded using ICC ODI Rankings, their positions influence the rest of the tournament tree. Seeding affects not just who meets whom in the group stage, but also how likely a later rematch becomes once the Super 7 begins.
From a competitive standpoint, the draw creates a tournament structure where one of cricket’s most important fixtures is almost built into the calendar. The statistical significance is simple: India and Pakistan have a guaranteed meeting, and possibly two more, depending on qualification and knockout outcomes.
Key takeaway
The 2027 ODI World Cup could feature one, two, or three India-Pakistan matches. The confirmed group-stage encounter on October 10 is the earliest of those possibilities, while the Super 7 and knockout rounds leave the door open for additional meetings if both teams sustain their form.