The revamped International Cricket Council (ICC) format for the 2027 ODI World Cup has not only increased India’s chances and Pakistan facing it three times during the tournament, but it also raised criticism about how inclusive cricket’s biggest event really is. At a time when major global sporting events are expanding opportunities for more nations, the ICC has opted for a format that, despite officially increasing the ODI World Cup from 10 to 14 teams, effectively limits meaningful participation for lower-ranked sides. The new structure requires the three lowest qualified teams to fight for a single place in the main competition, meaning only one of them advances while the other two are eliminated before the tournament reaches its main stages. The governing body said the new format is designed to make every match more meaningful from the opening day and enhance the competitive narrative throughout the event. However, it also paves the way for several meetings between cricket’s biggest rivals.
First meeting in the group stage
The tournament will begin with a “Super Series” involving Teams 12, 13 and 14. Only the winner of that round-robin advances to the next stage. The remaining 12 teams will then be divided into two groups of six. Each side will play the others in their group once, with the top three teams from each group and the next best team overall qualifying for the Super 7. The ICC does not use a completely random draw for its global events, and India and Pakistan have regularly been drawn in the same group in recent tournaments. If it continues in 2027, the rivals could meet for the first time in the group stage.
Super 7 opens the door for the second encounter
The seven qualified teams will then compete in a single-stage Super 7 round-robin. As each team meets once, India and Pakistan will be guaranteed another meeting if they both reach this stage, taking their tally to two matches in the same tournament. The top four teams from the Super 7 will qualify for the semi-finals.
The knockout stage could produce a third blockbuster
The format also leaves room for a third India-Pakistan contest. If both teams qualify for the last four, they could meet in the semi-finals if they finish first and fourth or second and third in the Super 7 standings. If they finish on opposite sides of the draw, they could face off in the final instead. This means that the revised format allows for three India-Pakistan matches in a single ODI World Cup: one in the group stage, one in the Super 7, and another in the semi-final or final. While the ICC has presented the changes as a way to increase the importance of each game, the format has also drawn attention for effectively reducing opportunities for emerging nations while simultaneously increasing the chances of repeat meetings between the sport’s biggest commercial rivals.