Cricket World Cup fixtures revealed as India v Pakistan date confirmed

The men’s Cricket World Cup will begin on 5 October, with England facing New Zealand in Ahmedabad and the same venue hosting the final on 19 November, organisers have said, with the schedule for the showpiece in India also confirming Pakistan’s participation.

The fixtures were revealed by the International Cricket Council during an event in Mumbai, less than four months before the start of the 50-over tournament, with the delay partly due to sour political relations between India and Pakistan. India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup triggered the latest dispute between the neighbours, who play each other only in multi-team events. Pakistan responded by threatening to boycott the World Cup if they were not allowed to stage at least some matches of the Asia Cup on home soil.

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The stalemate was finally resolved this month when Pakistan agreed to split matches with Sri Lanka, where India will play their Asia Cup matches. The arch-rivals meet in the tournament’s most anticipated match on 15 October in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium – the biggest cricket venue in the world by capacity. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) added a caveat saying it would still need government clearance for any tour to India, including World Cup match venues.

“We are liaising with our government for guidance,” said the PCB’s communications director Sami Ul Hasan in a statement. “This position is consistent to what we had told the ICC a couple of weeks ago when they shared with us the draft