Editor’s note: The copy was updated with new dates after the schedule was revised by the International Cricket Council on August 9.
India will be aiming for their third title and the second at home when they begin their campaign in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup against Australia in Chennai on 8 October.
The most-awaited clash between rivals India and Pakistan will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15, after the hosts kick off their campaign against Australia a week earlier. India will host Pakistan’s cricket team for the first time in seven years.
The 48-match tournament will be played at 10 venues across 46 days, with the top four from the 10-team round-robin stage going through to the semi-finals, the ICC said in a statement 100 days before the tournament begins on Tuesday.
India play all their nine league matches at different venues including the new Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Apart from Ahmedabad and Lucknow, the other venues are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram join Hyderabad in hosting the practice matches.
India’s fixtures at World Cup
| Date | Opposition | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 8 October | Australia | Chennai |
| 11 October | Afghanistan | Delhi |
| 14 October | Pakistan | Ahmedabad |
| 19 October | Bangladesh | Pune |
| 22 October | New Zealand | Dharamsala |
| 29 October | England | Lucknow |
| 2 November | Sri Lanka | Mumbai |
| 5 November | South Africa | Kolkata |
| 12 November | Netherlands | Bengaluru |
India captain Rohit Sharma said he was hoping his team would live up to expectation of the home crowds.
Rohit Sharma: “It’s going to be a great experience playing in the World Cup at home. India won here 12 years ago, and I know fans nationwide can’t wait for us to take the field this time.
“This World Cup is going to be very competitive as the game has become faster and teams are playing more positively than ever before. All this augurs well for fans worldwide, promising them many thrilling moments.
“We look forward to preparing well and being at our best this October-November.”
India last won the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2011. Since then, Australia and England have won the title in their own backyards in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
India will face England on October 29 in Lucknow, while the English will take on Australia on November 4 at Ahmedabad in two other key fixtures.
The first semi-final will be on November 15 in Mumbai and the second in Kolkata the next day.
There will be reserve days for the semis and the final, and all three will be day-night matches.
With inputs from AFP