Ananya Lohia , New Delhi - The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly finalised the window for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The 14-team tournament is expected to run from October 4 to November 21, 2027.

According to reports, the dates were agreed upon during an ICC Board Meeting held in Ahmedabad on the sidelines of the IPL 2026 final. The tournament will feature 54 matches, with South Africa set to host the majority of the games across eight venues. Zimbabwe will host matches in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, while Namibia is expected to stage games at the newly built Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium. The 2027 edition will mark the World Cup's return to South Africa for the first time since 2003 and will also see the competition expand back to a 14-team format after the previous two editions featured only 10 teams. The participating teams will be divided into two groups of seven, with the top three from each group progressing to the Super Six stage.

Hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe have already secured qualification as Full Members, while Namibia will need to qualify through the regular process. The tournament is also expected to be a major milestone for Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have both expressed a desire to compete in the event. After India's defeat in the 2023 World Cup final, Kohli recently reiterated his ambition to play in 2027, stating that he continues to train and compete with the goal of getting one more opportunity to lift the coveted trophy.

With the schedule window now in place and final details expected to be approved at the ICC AGM in July, preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup are gathering pace. The tournament promises a return to a larger format and could potentially serve as the final World Cup appearance for two of India's greatest cricketers, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.