The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revised the format of the 2027 ODI World Cup, which not only increases the possibility of India participating in the World Cup, Pakistan The two sides faced off three times during the match, but it also reignited criticism of the inclusivity of cricket’s biggest competition. In the context of major global sporting events offering opportunities to more countries, the ICC has opted for a format that, while officially increasing the number of participating teams in the ODI World Cup from 10 to 14, actually limits meaningful participation by lower-ranked teams. The new structure requires the three lowest-ranked teams to compete for a spot in the main event, meaning only one team advances while the other two are eliminated before the tournament reaches the main stage. The governing body says the new format is designed to make every game more meaningful from opening day and enhance the competitive narrative across the tournament. However, it has also created an avenue for multiple meetings between cricket’s biggest rivals.
First match of the group stage
The tournament will begin with a “Super Series” involving 12, 13 and 14 teams. Only the round robin winners advance to the next stage. The remaining 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six teams each. Each team will play one match against the other teams in their group, with the top three teams in each group and the second-placed team overall qualifying for the Super Seven. The International Cricket Federation does not use completely random draws in its global tournaments, and India and Pakistan have often found themselves in the same group in recent matches. If this continues in 2027, the two sides could meet for the first time in the group stages.
Super 7 opens the door to the second confrontation
The seven qualifier teams will then compete in a single round-robin stage of the Super 7 stage. Since each team will play each other once, it is possible that India and Pakistan will play each other again if both make it to this stage, taking their total to two games in the same tournament. The top four teams from the Super Seven will qualify for the semi-finals.
Knockout stages could produce third bombshell
The format also leaves room for a third India-Pakistan match. If both teams advance to the semi-finals, they can meet in the semi-finals if they finish first and fourth or second and third in the Super 7 standings. If they were in opposite positions in the draw, they could face off in the final. This means that the revised format allows for as many as three India-Pakistan matches in a single ODI World Cup: one in the group stage, one in the Super Sevens and one in the semi-finals or final. While the ICC sees the changes as a way to increase the importance of each match, the format has also raised concerns as it effectively reduces the chances of emerging nations while increasing the chance of repeat meetings between the sport’s biggest commercial rivals.
