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ICC New World Cup Format Explained: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a new format for the 2027 Men's ODI World Cup, introducing a structure that could see India and Pakistan meet as many as three times during the tournament.

The revised format was approved at the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh as part of a wider overhaul of its flagship men's events. While the changes are designed to make every stage of the competition more meaningful, fans were quick to point out that the new system also increases the chances of multiple India vs Pakistan contests.

New ODI World Cup Format Explained

The ODI World Cup 2027 will feature 14 teams and follow a three-stage format.

The bottom three qualified teams will first compete in a preliminary Super Series, with only one side advancing to the main competition. The remaining teams will then be split into two groups of six, with the Super Series winner completing the lineup.

Each team will play every other side in its group once. If India and Pakistan are placed in the same group, they will meet during this stage.

The top three teams from each group, along with the next best-placed side overall, will qualify for a new seven-team Super 7 stage.

How India And Pakistan Could Meet Three Times

The Super 7 will follow a round-robin format, meaning every qualified team will face each other once. If both India and Pakistan reach this stage after being drawn in the same first-round group, they would meet for a second time in the tournament.

The top four teams from the Super 7 will then progress to the semi-finals.

A third India vs Pakistan match would only be possible if both teams advanced to the final. If they are drawn into different groups in the opening stage, however, the maximum number of meetings would be two.

The revised format gives the tournament greater competitive depth while also creating more opportunities for high-profile fixtures as teams progress through multiple stages.