Australia vs England, New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, India vs Pakistan – the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is set for a cracker of a beginning. And once the dust settles on these big games, there are quite a few more as well before the World Cup heads into the knockout stages starting with the quarterfinals.
The Aussies and the Kiwis go into this World Cup they co-host as pretty big favourites, alongside India and South Africa.
Such is the format of this World Cup that the top four from each pool of seven teams will enter the quarterfinals, from which point it is a simple win-and-you-go-through knockout.
Many have predicted the real World Cup will only kick off at the quarterfinal stage, but there are quite a few intriguing clashes in the group phase as well, even when the big Test playing nations take on the Associate sides – because, as well all know, at a World Cup an upset or three is inevitable.
All the immediate attention, though, is on that mighty India vs Pakistan clash in Adelaide on Sunday. India will put their unbeaten record against their rivals on the line, and even if the result will most probably not make that much of a difference at the end of the group stages, the momentum that the two teams can create with victory will be huge.
Australia vs England, the second match of the opening day of the World Cup on Saturday is also a biggie, and with a capacity crowd at the MCG expected, a humdinger it should be.
New Zealand kick off their World Cup party against Sri Lanka earlier on the same day, before equally sterner tests await. It will be interesting to see just how the Black Caps handle the pressure of being one of the favourites rather than the dark horses.
On paper, it should be Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England, India, South Africa, Pakistan and the West Indies to qualify for the quarterfinals, but one (or maybe more) of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Ireland and the UAE will want to have their say as well and spoil the big team party.
Below is the schedule for the entire ICC Cricket World Cup 2015:
Match 1: 14 February: Pool A: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Match 2: 14 February: Pool A: Australia vs England (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at the MCG, Melbourne.
Match 3: 15 February: Pool B: South Africa vs Zimbabwe (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Match 4: 15 February: Pool B: India vs Pakistan (2 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
Match 5: 16 February: Pool B: Ireland vs West Indies (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at Saxton Oval, Nelson.
Match 6: 17 February: Pool A: New Zealand vs Scotland (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at University Oval, Dunedin.
Match 7: 18 February: Pool A: Afghanistan vs Bangladesh (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Manuka Oval, Canberra.
Match 8: 19 February: Pool B: UAE vs Zimbabwe (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at Saxton Oval, Nelson.
Match 9: 20 February: Pool A: New Zealand vs England (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.
Match 10: 21 February: Pool B: Pakistan vs West Indies (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Match 11: 21 February: Pool A: Australia vs Bangladesh (1.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Gabba, Brisbane.
Match 12: 22 February: Pool A: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at University Oval, Dunedin.
Match 13: 22 February: Pool B: India vs South Africa at (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) MCG, Melbourne.
Match 14: 23 February: Pool A: England vs Scotland (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Match 15: 24 February: Pool B: West Indies vs Zimbabwe (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Manuka Oval, Canberra.
Match 16: 25 February: Pool B: Ireland vs UAE at (1.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Gabba, Brisbane.
Match 17: 26 February: Pool A: Afghanistan vs Scotland (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at University Oval, Dunedin.
Match 18: 26 February: Pool A: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka at (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at MCG, Melbourne.
Match 19: 27 February: Pool B: South Africa vs West Indies (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at SCG, Sydney.
Match 20: 28 February: Pool A: New Zealand vs Australia (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Eden Park, Auckland.
Match 21: 28 February: Pool B: India vs UAE (2.30 pm local time, 12 pm IST, 6.30 am GMT, 1.30 am ET) at WACA, Perth.
Match 22: 1 March: Pool A: England vs Sri Lanka (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.
Match 23: 1 March: Pool B: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe (1.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Gabba, Brisbane.
Match 24: 3 March: Pool B: Ireland vs South Africa (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Manuka Oval, Canberra.
Match 25: 4 March: Pool B: Pakistan vs UAE (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at McLean Park, Napier.
Match 26: 4 March: Pool A: Australia vs Afghanistan (2.30 pm local time, 12 pm IST, 6.30 am GMT, 1.30 am ET) at WACA, Perth.
Match 27: 5 March: Pool A: Bangladesh vs Scotland (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at Saxton Oval, Nelson.
Match 28: 6 March: Pool B: India vs West Indies at (2.30 pm local time, 12 pm IST, 6.30 am GMT, 1.30 am ET) at WACA, Perth.
Match 29: 7 March: Pool B: Pakistan vs South Africa (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Eden Park, Auckland.
Match 30: 7 Match: Pool B: Ireland vs Zimbabwe (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Match 31: 8 March: Pool A: New Zealand vs Afghanistan (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at McLean Park, Napier.
Match 32: 8 March: Pool A: Australia vs Sri Lanka (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at SCG, Sydney.
Match 33: 9 March: Pool A: England vs Bangladesh (2 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
Match 34: 10 March: Pool B: India vs Ireland (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Match 35: 11 March: Pool A: Scotland vs Sri Lanka (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Match 36: 12 March: Pool B: South Africa vs UAE (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.
Match 37: 13 March: Pool A: New Zealand vs Bangladesh (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Match 38: 13 March: Pool A: Afghanistan vs England (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at SCG, Sydney.
Match 39: 14 March: Pool B: India vs Zimbabwe (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Eden Park, Auckland.
Match 40: 14 March: Pool A: Australia vs Scotland (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Bellerive Oval, Hobart.
Match 41: 15 March: Pool B: UAE vs West Indies (11 am local time, 3.30 am IST, 10 pm GMT, 5 pm ET) at McLean Park, Napier.
Match 42: 15 March: Pool B: Ireland vs Pakistan (2 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
Match 43: 18 March: 1st Quarterfinal (A1 vs B4) (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at SCG, Sydney.
Match 44: 19 March: 2nd Quarterfinal (A2 vs B3) (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at MCG, Melbourne.
Match 45: 20 March: 3rd Quarterfinal (A3 vs B2) (2 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.
Match 46: 21 March: 4th Quarterfinal (A4 vs B1) (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.
Match 47: 24 March: 1st Semifinal (2 pm local time, 6.30 am IST, 1 am GMT, 8 pm ET) at Eden Park, Auckland.
Match 48: 25 March: 2nd Semifinal (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at SCG, Sydney.
Match 49: 29 March: Final (2.30 pm local time, 9 am IST, 3.30 am GMT, 10.30 pm ET) at MCG, Melbourne.
