Afghanistan have been handed a demanding route through the opening stage of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, with Australia, India and Pakistan all drawn alongside them in Group A.
The International Cricket Council unveiled the tournament schedule on October 1, placing Afghanistan in a six-team group completed by co-hosts Zimbabwe and Qualifier A.
For Afghanistan, the draw means four of their five opening-stage matches will come against established Full Member opposition, including defending champions Australia.
Their World Cup campaign begins against Pakistan on October 8 in Tshwane, South Africa — an immediate high-profile test at the start of a group in which there will be little room for a slow beginning.
Afghanistan then travel to Bulawayo to face Zimbabwe on October 11 before returning to South Africa for three matches in seven days.
India await in Tshwane on October 14, followed by Australia at KuGompo City on October 18.
Afghanistan complete their group programme against Qualifier A at the same venue on October 21.
The composition of Group A also creates a series of significant rematches for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan defeated Pakistan and defending champions England during their breakthrough 2023 World Cup campaign in India, before recording further victories over Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.
They came close to another major result against Australia in Mumbai before Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten double century transformed a match Afghanistan had appeared positioned to win.
Four years later, Afghanistan will meet Australia again, this time in South Africa, as part of a World Cup format that has changed substantially from 2023.
The 2027 tournament features 14 teams and introduces a Super 7 stage after the initial group phase.
The top three teams from each six-team group will advance automatically. The better-performing fourth-placed side across the two groups will take the seventh and final place in the next round.
That format increases the importance of every group match for Afghanistan. Qualification may depend not only on where they finish in Group A, but potentially on their points relative to the fourth-placed team in Group B.
The tournament will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia and will feature 57 matches across 12 venues.
A three-team Super Series in Namibia begins on October 2 and will determine the final entrant to the group stage. Group-stage competition starts on October 7 with Australia facing India in Cape Town.
The Super 7 stage is scheduled to run from October 25 to November 14, followed by the semi-finals on November 17 and 18.
Johannesburg will host the World Cup final on November 21.
AFGHANISTAN — GROUP A:
India
Australia
Pakistan
Afghanistan
Zimbabwe
Qualifier A
AFGHANISTAN GROUP FIXTURES:
October 8 — Pakistan vs Afghanistan — Tshwane, South Africa
October 11 — Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan — Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
October 14 — India vs Afghanistan — Tshwane, South Africa
October 18 — Australia vs Afghanistan — KuGompo City, South Africa
October 21 — Afghanistan vs Qualifier A — KuGompo City, South Africa
