India will kick start their title defence for the ICC Cricket World Cup, 2015, against traditional rivals Pakistan in Adelaide on February 15, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced in a simultaneous live telecast from Wellington and Melbourne on Tuesday.
The 2015 edition of the World Cup will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29, 2015, with the Grand Finale at the majestic Melbourne Cricket Ground. India are in Group B in which, besides Pakistan, they will play South Africa at Melbourne on February 22, Qualifier 4 at Perth on February 28, West Indies at Perth on March 6, Ireland in Hamilton on March 10 and Zimbabwe at Eden Park in Auckland on March 14, 2015 in their bid to make it to the knockout stages of the 44-day, 49-match competition which will travel to 14 venues across Australia and New Zealand.
Commenting on the big clash, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was quoted by ICC as saying: “It only seems like yesterday that we won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in front of a passionate and supportive home crowd. The World Cup is a very special event for every cricketer because it only takes place every four years. Having tasted success in Mumbai in 2011, we’ll be working very hard to retain it. I’m looking forward to the tournament with confident that we’ll do well. Our recent victory in the ICC Champions Trophy, 2013, has provided the team with a lot of confidence and I am sure this experience will help us in our preparations for the World Cup in 2015.”
Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand will play their first matches on the opening day on February 14 with New Zealand squaring off against 1996 champion Sri lanka in the tournament opener at Christchurch. later the same day, under the MCG floodlights, four-time former champions Australia will clash with arch rivals England. New Zealand will host Australia when the two neighbouring nations lock horns in Auckland on March 28.
Australia will stage 26 matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, while New Zealand will host 23 matches in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington. The 14 sides (10 full members and four qualifiers), as per their Reliance ICC ODI rankings’ table on December 31, 2012, have been divided into two pools. While Pool B details are mentioned above, Pool A will comprise England, Australia, Sri lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Qualifier 2 and Qualifier 3. These two qualifiers will be filled by finalists of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2014 at New Zealand in January/February. The side that wins the tournament will become Qualifier 3, while the losing finalist will be 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. The Group stage matches will end on March 15, followed by two rest days. March 18 will kick start the knockout stages. John Harnden, Chief Executive of the 2015 local Organising Committee, said ticket prices would be announced later in the year and that they would be affordable.
ICC President Alan Isaac, who attended the event launch in Wellington, said, “Sport is synonymous with life in Australia and New Zealand and both countries boast some of the best facilities in the world. With the World Cup returning to these shores for the first time since 1992, it will be an event to remember.” ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, who attended the event launch in Melbourne, said: “The success of the 2015 WC will further strengthen the status of 50-over cricket alongside Tests and Twenty20 Internationals.”