England v NZ in Cricket World Cup opener, Pakistan to play in India for first time in 7 years

India will host Pakistan's cricket team for the first time in seven years for the 50-over World Cup, the International Cricket Council said Tuesday.

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The tournament will begin on 5 October, with holders England taking on New Zealand at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, which will also host the final.

The schedule was announced after weeks of delay due to Pakistan's refusal to travel to India, but a truce was called after Pakistan agreed to host the Asia Cup in September in a hybrid model.

The most-awaited clash between rivals India and Pakistan will be played in Ahmedabad on 15 October, after the hosts kick off their campaign against Australia on 8 October.

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"Each team plays the other nine in a round robin format with the top four qualifying for the knockout stage and semi-finals," the ICC said in a statement 100 days before the tournament begins.

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India and Pakistan are bitter adversaries and only play cricket against each other in international tournaments, usually at neutral venues, due to longstanding political tensions, most recently during the T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

Any match between the South Asian neighbours therefore becomes one of the most-watched events on the global sporting calendar, and any victory is used to promote nationalism at home.

When they do play, cricket fans around the world are glued to their TV screens in a