Mumbai: The fixtures for the ICC World Cup 2023 in India have been released along with the 10 venues for the mega event that will span across 46 days.
The World Cup kicks off on October 5 with a repeat of the 2019 final as England take on New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India begin their campaign on October 8 against five-time World Cup winners Australia in Chennai.
A total of 10 teams will participate at the showcase event, the first eight having already qualified through the Cricket World Cup Super League. The final two spots will be determined at the end of the ongoing Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
Warm-up venues
Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram in addition to Hyderabad will host the warm-up matches from September 9 to October 3. However, both Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram will not stage any World Cup match.
Each team plays the other nine in a round robin format with the top four qualifying for the semifinals.
Apart from the cracking opening encounter and India’s face-off with 2019 semifinalists Australia, the tournament is filled with a host of crucial clashes.
Australia take on South Africa on October 13 in Lucknow hoping for a reversal of fortunes as a dramatic meeting in the last edition ended in the Proteas’ favour.
The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash is scheduled for Sunday, October 15, in Ahmedabad. Their last encounter in the 2019 World Cup was a high-scoring affair with India achieving a huge victory in Manchester.
Pakistan will face Australia in Bengaluru on October 20, while England clash against South Africa the next day in Mumbai.
India will go up against New Zealand to try and avenge their 2019 semifinal defeat on October 22 at the picturesque Dharamsala venue and Australia face arch-rivals England on November 4 in Ahmedabad. The defending champions had thrashed the Aussies to storm into the final four years ago.
India will be waiting for England on October 29 in Lucknow, who thrashed them by 10 wickets in the semifinal of the 2022 T20 World Cup last year.
The final group stage match will be England up against Pakistan in Kolkata on November 12.
The first semifinal will be held on Wednesday November 15 in Mumbai and the second semifinal will be held the following day in Kolkata. Both semifinals will have a reserve day.
The final will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19 with November 20 slated as the reserve day.
All three knock-out fixtures will be day-night affairs, with the matches beginning at 2 pm (IST).
Schedule by venues
Ahmedabad
October 5 – England vs New Zealand
October 15 – India vs Pakistan
November 4 – England vs Australia
November 10 – South Africa vs Afghanistan
November 19 – Final
Hyderabad
October 6 – Pakistan vs Qualifier 1
October 9 – New Zealand vs Qualifier 1
October 12 – Pakistan vs Qualifier 2
Dharamsala
October 7 – Bangladesh vs Afghanistan (Day Game)
October 10 – England vs Bangladesh
October 16 – South Africa vs Qualifier 1
October 22 – India vs New Zealand
October 29 – Australia vs New Zealand (Day Game)
New Delhi
October 7 – South Africa vs Qualifier 2
October 11 – India vs Afghanistan
October 15 – England vs Afghanistan
October 25 – Australia vs Qualifier 1
November 6– Bangladesh vs Qualifier 2
Chennai
October 8 – India vs Australia
October 14 – New Zealand vs Bangladesh (Day Game)
October 18 – New Zealand vs Afghanistan
October 23 – Pakistan vs Afghanistan
October 27 – Pakistan vs South Africa
Lucknow
October 13 – Australia vs South Africa
October 17 – Australia vs Qualifier 2
October 21 – Qualifier 1 vs Qualifier 2 (Day Game)
October 29 – India vs England
November 3 – Qualifier 1 vs Afghanistan
Pune
October 19 – India vs Bangladesh
October 30 – Afghanistan vs Qualifier 2
November 1 – New Zealand vs South Africa
November 8 – England vs Qualifier 1
November 12 – Australia vs Bangladesh (Day Game)
Bengaluru
October 20 – Australia vs Pakistan
October 26 – England vs Qualifier 2
November 4 – New Zealand vs Pakistan (Day Game)
November 9 – New Zealand vs Qualifier 2
November 11 – India vs Qualifier 1
Mumbai
October 21 – England vs South Africa
October 24 – South Africa vs Bangladesh
November 2 – India vs Qualifier 2
November 7 – Australia vs Afghanistan
November 15 – Semifinal 1
Kolkata
October 28 – Qualifier 1 vs Bangladesh
October 31 – Pakistan vs Bangladesh
November 5 – India vs South Africa
November 12 – England vs Pakistan
November 16 – Semifinal 2
(With inputs from IANS)