World Cup 2023: Pakistan to face New Zealand, Australia in warm-up matches

NEW DELHI: Pakistan will face Australia, and New Zealand in warm-up matches of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India next month, as International Cricket Council announced the schedule of warm-up fixtures, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

According to International Cricket Council (ICC), the 10 teams will each play two official 50-over warm-up matches during the week leading up to the start of the World Cup on October 5, with matches to be held in three different cities across India.

The matches will be held in Guwahati, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram between Friday 29 September and Tuesday 3 October and will provide teams with the “perfect opportunity to acclimatise to the conditions they are expected to face during the World Cup”.

On the opening day of warm-up matches, Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in Guwahati, South Africa will tackle Afghanistan in Thiruvananthapuram and New Zealand will face Pakistan in Hyderabad.

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Hosts India will battle it out against reigning champions England the following day in Guwahati, while five-time winners Australia will be looking for some valuable practice when they play the Netherlands in Thiruvananthapuram on the same day.

All games will commence at 2:00 pm IST and teams will be allowed to field all members of their 15-player squads during the matches.

World Cup warm-up fixtures:

Friday 29 September

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

South Africa v Afghanistan, Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram

New Zealand v Pakistan, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad

Saturday 30 September

India v England, Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

Australia v Netherlands, Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram

Monday 2 October

England v Bangladesh, Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

New Zealand v South Africa, Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram

Tuesday 3 October

Afghanistan v Sri Lanka, Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

India v Netherlands, Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram

Pakistan v Australia, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad