Staff Reporter
NAMIBIA will host the opening Super Series of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, with three matches at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek determining which team claims the final Group Stage place.
The Super Series will take place on 2, 4 and 6 October 2027 and will feature the second-, third- and fourth-placed teams from the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
The three teams will play each other once, with the team finishing top of the standings advancing to the Group Stage.
Windhoek will then host three Group Stage matches, beginning with England against Bangladesh on 8 October.
Sri Lanka will face Qualifier B in Windhoek on 10 October, while England will return to the venue to play Sri Lanka on 13 October.
The Namibia Cricket Ground will therefore host six World Cup matches in total, comprising three Super Series fixtures and three Group Stage matches.
The event is also expected to raise Namibia’s international profile, boost tourism and create lasting interest in cricket among young people.
Gerard Vries, Executive Director of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, said the exposure generated by the tournament could have an impact that extends well beyond the event itself.
“The exposure that will emanate from this will reverberate for a number of years,” Vries said.
He said the tournament could inspire young Namibians to dream about the future, while the anticipated economic impact could have lasting effects.
“Also because Namibia will be again on the world stage,” he said, adding that the event was expected to boost the tourism industry.
Vries also said the tournament could, over time, elevate the standing of cricket in Namibia.
The tournament’s Group Stage will feature 12 teams divided into two groups of six.
Group A consists of India, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Qualifier A, while Group B comprises New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Qualifier B.
The Group Stage begins on 7 October with defending champions Australia facing India in Cape Town.
South Africa will begin their campaign against New Zealand on 9 October, while Zimbabwe will face Qualifier A on the same day.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match is scheduled for Johannesburg on 10 October.
The Group Stage concludes on 24 October, with Zimbabwe facing India at the Mosi-oa-Tunya Stadium in Victoria Falls.
The top three teams from each group, together with the highest-ranked fourth-placed team across the two groups, will progress to the Super 7 phase.
The Super 7 will run from 25 October to 14 November, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals.
The first semi-final will be played in Cape Town on 17 November, followed by the second in Tshwane on 18 November.
The World Cup final is scheduled for Johannesburg on 21 November, with 22 November designated as the reserve day.
The 2027 tournament will be jointly hosted by Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, with 57 matches scheduled across 12 venues.
For Namibia, the tournament represents the country’s first opportunity to host matches at the senior ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Photo: ICC Cricket
