Cricket South Africa Announce Plans for 2027 World Cup

PRETORIA: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday announced the formation of a local organising committee for the 2027 men’s ODI World Cup, which will return to Africa for the first time since 2003.

According to the schedule, 44 of the 54 matches will be played across eight South African venues, while Zimbabwe and Namibia will co-host 10 fixtures.

It will be the third men’s World Cup hosted on the continent after the 2003 edition, which was jointly staged by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Since then, South Africa has hosted two women’s tournaments — the 2005 50-over World Cup and the 2023 T20 World Cup, where the Proteas finished as runners-up to Australia.

Former South African finance minister Trevor Manuel will chair the organising committee. In a statement, CSA confirmed that matches in South Africa will be held in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein, East London and Paarl.

CSA chairperson Pearl Maphoshe said the board aimed to deliver a tournament that would be “global, inspiring, and reflective of South Africa’s diversity, inclusivity, and unity.”

Read More

Prague to host rare Lucy and Selam fossil exhibition this autumn

Maharaj reclaims top ICC ODI bowlers’ ranking
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC’s latest ODI bowlers’ rankings, with no Pakistani bowler featuring in the top 10.

Maharaj’s rise followed his career-best figures of 5/33 against Australia in Cairns on Tuesday, which propelled the Proteas to a 98-run victory. The left-arm spinner leapfrogged Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana (second) and India’s Kuldeep Yadav (third) to return to the top.

Pakistan’s pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, despite adding to his tally with strong spells against the West Indies in Trinidad, also fell short of breaking into the top tier. Afridi has now claimed 132 wickets in just 65 ODIs.