ISLAMABAD: Defending Champions India will play its opener against traditional arch-rivals Pakistan on February 15 in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to be staged in Australia and New Zealand.
The World Cup will be staged from 14 February to 29 March, says a press release issued here.
India won the 2011 event when it defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final in Mumbai. The 14 sides (10 Full Members and four qualifiers), as per their rankings on the Reliance ICC ODI Rankings table on 31 December 2012, have been divided into two pools. Pool A includes England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Qualifier 2 and Qualifier 3. Pool B comprises South Africa, Pakistan, India, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Qualifier 4.
The top four sides from each pool will progress to the quarter-finals, followed by the two semi-finals and the final. All the knock-out matches will have reserve days. Ireland became the first side to qualify for the World Cup when it won the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship. Qualifier 2 will be side that claims second position in the competition, which finishes on October 4.
The remaining two places in the World Cup will be filled by the finalists from the World Cup Qualifier 2014 that will be staged in New Zealand in January and February. The side that wins the tournament will become Qualifier 3, while the losing finalist will be Qualifier 4.
A total of 49 matches will be played in the 44-day tournament across 14 venues in the two countries. Australia will stage 26 matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, whilst the 23 matches in New Zealand will be held in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington.
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