October 2 marks the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, also known as Gandhi Jayanti.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is planning to start the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup on October 2, marking the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (Gandhi Jayanti), Cricbuzz reported.
This date honors a global icon of peace and non-violence who has deep, formative ties to South Africa – one of the co-hosts of tournament alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia.
While no official communication has been released by the ICC yet, this plan shifts the previously intended start date from October 4, requiring warm-up matches to be scheduled slightly earlier.
Starting the quadrennial showpiece on October 2 serves as a fitting tribute to Gandhi's 21 years spent in South Africa, where his philosophy of non-violent resistance first took shape. There is a powerful message of peace and unity in this gesture during a divided global time.
The World Cup is expected to culminate with its final match on November 21, 2027, capping off a 50-day event. Not long ago, the ICC announced 12 distinct venues during a star-studded launch ceremony in Johannesburg, showcasing a total of 57 matches across the three co-host nations.
The venues include Wanderers Stadium (Johannesburg), Centurion (Tshwane), Newlands Cricket Ground (Cape Town), Kingsmead Cricket Ground (Durban), St George’s Park (Gqeberha), Mangaung Oval (Bloemfontein), Boland Park (Paarl), Buffalo Park (KuGompo City, formerly known as East London), Harare Sports Club (Harare), Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo), Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium (Victoria Falls), Namibia Cricket Ground (Windhoek).
Earlier, in a media release, the ICC had confirmed that the 14-team 2027 ODI World Cup will feature four different stages -- a preliminary Super Series, a Group round split into two groups, a Super 7 round, and the Knockouts.
In Round 1, the three lowest-ranked qualified teams will play a Super Series, and only the top side will qualify for Round 2, where there would be two groups of 6. Top three teams from each group plus the next-highest-placed team overall will make it to the Super 7, while the top four teams from the Super 7 will progress to the semi-finals.
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)