2015 Cricket World Cup Schedule

Melbourne: Defending champions India will take on arch-foes Pakistan in their opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from February 14 to March 29.

Placed in the relatively easy Group B, India, who won the 2011 event after defeating Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai, will start their title defence on February 15.

Incidentally, India have never lost to Pakistan in any of their five World Cup clashes so far.

The Indians will complete their group fixtures against Zimbabwe at Eden Park, Auckland (on March 14). India will also play South Africa (in Melbourne on February 22), Qualifier 4 (in Perth on February 28), West Indies (in Perth on March 6) and Ireland (in Hamilton on March 10).

The tournament will open on February 14 with co-hosts Australia and New Zealand playing their first matches in front of their home crowds. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the final on March 29.

New Zealand will square off against 1996 champions Sri Lanka in the tournament opener in Christchurch and later on the same day, under the MCG floodlights, four-time former champions Australia will go head-to-head with arch-rivals England.

New Zealand will also host Australia when the two neighbouring countries lock horns in Auckland on March 28.

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, the ICC said in a statement.

The 14 sides (10 Full Members and four qualifiers), as per their rankings on the ICC ODI Rankings table on December 31, 2012, have been divided into two pools.

The top four sides from each pool will progress to the quarterfinals, followed by the two semifinals and the final. All the knock-out matches will have reserve days.

The fixtures were announced simultaneously in Melbourne and Wellington today.

First round scheudle

Pool 'A'

Teams: England, Australia (co-host), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand (co-host), Qualifier 2, Qualifier 3.

• Sri Lanka vs New Zealand - Match 1, Hagley Oval, Christchurch. Saturday 14 February 2015
• England vs Australia - Match 2, MCG. Saturday 14 February 2015 Day/Night
• New Zealand vs Qualifier 3 - Match 6, University Oval, Dunedin. Tuesday 17 February 2015
• Bangladesh vs Qualifier 2 - Match 7, Manuka Oval, Canberra. Wednesday 18 February 2015 - Day/Night
• England vs New Zealand - Match 9, Wellington Regional Stadium - Friday 20 February 2015 - Day/Night
• Australia vs Bangladesh - Match 11, The Gabba, Brisbane - Saturday 21 February 2015 - Day/Night
• Sri Lanka vs Qualifier 2 - Match 12, University Oval, Dunedin - Sunday 22 February 2015
• England vs Qualifier 3 - Match 14, Hagley Oval, Christchurch - Monday 23 February 2015
• Qualifier 2 vs Qualifier 3 - Match 17, University Oval, Dunedin - Thursday 26 February 2015
• Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh - Match 18, MCG - Thursday 26 February 2015 - Day/Night
• Australia vs New Zealand - Match 20, Eden Park, Auckland - Saturday 28 February 2015 - Day/Night
• England vs Sri Lanka - Match 22, Wellington Regional Stadium - Sunday 1 March 2015
• Australia vs Qualifier 2 - Match 26, WACA, Perth - Wednesday 4 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Bangladesh vs Qualifier 3 - Match 27, Saxton Oval, Nelson - Thursday 5 March 2015
• New Zealand vs Qualifier 2 - Match 31, McLean Park, Napier - Sunday 8 March 2015
• Australia vs Sri Lanka - Match 32, SCG - Sunday 8 March 2015 - Day/Night
• England vs Bangladesh - Match 33, Adelaide Oval - Monday 9 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Sri Lanka vs Qualifier 3 - Match 35, Bellerive Oval, Hobart - Wednesday 11 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Bangladesh vs New Zealand - Match 37, Seddon Park, Hamilton - Friday 13 March 2015 - Day/Night
• England vs Qualifier 2 - Match 38, SCG - Friday 13 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Australia vs Qualifier 3 - Match 40, Bellerive Oval, Hobart - Saturday 14 March 2015 - Day/Night

Pool 'B'

Teams: South Africa, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Qualifier 1 (Ireland), Qualifier 4.

• South Africa vs Zimbabwe - Match 3, Seddon Park, Hamilton. Sunday 15 February 2015 Day/Night
• India vs Pakistan - Match 4, Adelaide Oval. Sunday 15 February 2015 Day/Night
• West Indies vs Ireland - Match 5, Saxton Oval, Nelson. Monday 16 February 2015
• Zimbabwe vs Qualifier 4 - Match 8, Saxton Oval, Nelson. Thursday 19 February 2015
• Pakistan vs West Indies - Match 10, Hagley Oval, Christchurch - Saturday 21 February 2015
• South Africa vs India - Match 13, MCG - Sunday 22 February 2015 - Day/Night
• West Indies vs Zimbabwe - Match 15, Manuka Oval, Canberra - Tuesday 24 February 2015 - Day/Night - Match 16
• Ireland vs Qualifier 4 - Match 16, The Gabba, Brisbane - Wednesday 25 February 2015 - Day/Night
• South Africa vs West Indies - Match 19, SCG - Friday 27 February 2015 - Day/Night
• India vs Qualifier 4 - Match 21, WACA, Perth - Saturday 28 February 2015 - Day/Night
• Pakistan vs Zimbabwe - Match 23, The Gabba, Brisbane - Sunday 1 March 2015 - Day/Night
• South Africa vs Ireland - Match 24, Manuka Oval, Canberra - Tuesday 3 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Pakistan vs Qualifier 4 - Match 25, McLean Park, Napier - Wednesday 4 March 2015 - Day/Night
• India vs West Indies - Match 28, WACA, Perth - Friday 6 March 2015 - Day/Night
• South Africa vs Pakistan - Match 29, Eden Park, Auckland - Saturday 7 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Zimbabwe vs Ireland - Match 30, Bellerive Oval, Hobart - Saturday 7 March 2015 - Day/Night
• India vs Ireland - Match 34, Seddon Park, Hamilton - Tuesday 10 March 2015 - Day/Night
• South Africa vs Qualifier 4 - Match 36, Wellington Regional Stadium - Thursday 12 March 2015 - Day/Night
• India vs Zimbabwe - Match 39, Eden Park, Auckland - Saturday 14 March 2015 - Day/Night
• West Indies vs Qualifier 4 - Match 41, McLean Park, Napier - Sunday 15 March 2015
• Pakistan vs Ireland - Match 42, Adelaide Oval - Sunday 15 March 2015 - Day/Night

Knock-out Stage

• Quarter Final 1 TBD vs TBD, SCG - Wednesday 18 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Quarter Final 2 TBD vs TBD, MCG - Thursday 19 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Quarter Final 3 TBD vs TBD, Adelaide Oval - Friday 20 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Quarter Final 4 TBD vs TBD, Wellington Regional Stadium - Saturday 21 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Semi Final 1 TBD vs TBD, Eden Park, Auckland - Tuesday 24 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Semi Final 2 TBD vs TBD, SCG - Thursday 26 March 2015 - Day/Night
• Final TBD vs TBD, MCG - Sunday 29 March 2015 - Day/Night