Photo: Collected
The ICC has published the schedule and format of the ODI World Cup to be held next year. Being in the same group in the published schedule, arch-rivals India and Pakistan are set to meet. However, recent times have not been going well for Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and company; alongside an investigation surrounding several cricketers, there is also criticism of the PCB’s leadership.
Taking this opportunity, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has made a sarcastic remark about Pakistan. The cricketer, who is in the race to become the BCCI’s next chief selector, hinted on Star Sports that reaching the newly introduced ‘Super 7’ stage might perhaps be Pakistan’s main target.
Twelve teams will take part in this global ICC tournament, divided into two groups of six each. The top three teams of each group and the best of the fourth-placed teams will advance to the ‘Super 7’ stage. In Group A, along with India and Pakistan, are reigning world champions Australia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and ‘Qualifier A’.
Parthiv Patel remarked that India will enter the tournament with the aim of playing in the semi-finals, whereas the main focus of the ‘Men in Green’ will perhaps be more on getting past the first stage or group stage. According to him, teams’ thinking depends on their mindset: India are surely thinking they will reach at least the semi-finals, and Pakistan are perhaps thinking they will reach the Super 7 stage and then see what happens.
He further said Pakistan must be happy to see this schedule and are perhaps thinking they will make a place in the second round. Zimbabwe and Namibia are joint hosts of the ODI World Cup along with South Africa. The tournament will run from 2 October to 21 November and the main group stage will begin on 7 October.
How the new ‘Super 7’ format will work
Pakistan have been placed in ‘Group A’ with India, Australia, Afghanistan and co-hosts Zimbabwe; this six-team group will be completed by the ‘Qualifier A’ team. The remaining six teams will be in ‘Group B’. The top three teams of each group will go up to the Super 7 stage, and the seventh place will go to the best of the fourth-placed teams of the two groups.
Unlike the usual league system, teams will not carry any points from the group stage into the Super 7 stage. Each team will play six matches in a new round-robin competition between 25 October and 14 November. At the end of the stage, the top four teams will qualify to play in the semi-finals.
Pakistan will take the field with the aim of doing better than their 2023 World Cup performance; that time they finished the tournament in fifth place with four wins and five defeats in nine matches. India will face reigning champions Australia in Cape Town on 7 October, which will be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final.
South Africa will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Cape Town on 9 October; on the same day co-hosts Zimbabwe will take on the ‘Qualifier A’ team in Bulawayo. India will face Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 10 October. This match, one of the attractions of the group stage, will give the arch-rivals an early opportunity to strengthen their position in the fight for the Super 7.
