Afghanistan

Afghanistan at CWC 2027

Afghanistan face a formidable Group A: India, Australia, Pakistan, co-hosts Zimbabwe and a qualifier still to be confirmed. After their performances in 2023, though, nobody in the group will treat them lightly.

Date	Opponent	Venue	Start (local)
Fri 8 Oct	Pakistan	SuperSport Park, Centurion	10:00
Mon 11 Oct	Zimbabwe	Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo	12:30 (day/night)
Thu 14 Oct	India	SuperSport Park, Centurion	10:00
Mon 18 Oct	Australia	Buffalo Park, KuGompo City (East London)	10:00
Thu 21 Oct	Group A qualifier (TBC)	Buffalo Park, KuGompo City (East London)	12:30 (day/night)

The opener against Pakistan in Centurion revisits one of their landmark wins, and the day/night match in Bulawayo against the co-hosts could be pivotal for qualification from the group. Two games at Buffalo Park, a compact and characterful ground, close out their group programme.

World Cup history

Afghanistan made their World Cup debut in 2015, a remarkable achievement for a cricket nation that developed so quickly. Their breakthrough came in 2023, when they won four group matches, beating England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka among them, and stayed in contention for a semi-final place deep into the group stage. It was a campaign that changed perceptions of the side and established them as a genuine threat to the established teams.

Conditions in southern Africa

Afghanistan’s reputation has been built largely on high-quality spin, which may get less help on the faster Highveld surfaces than on the slower pitches of Asia. That said, spinners who bowl quickly and use bounce can still thrive in South Africa, and conditions in Zimbabwe have historically been more accommodating to slow bowling. How their batters handle extra bounce at altitude in Centurion is likely to be one of the key questions of their campaign.

Travelling fans

Supporters travelling from Afghanistan will usually route through Gulf hubs such as Dubai or Doha, or via Istanbul, and many fans are likely to come from the wider diaspora in the Gulf, Europe and elsewhere. The host countries use UTC+2, two and a half hours behind Afghanistan, so a 10:00 start is 12:30 in Kabul.

Entry requirements depend on your passport, and fans may hold a range of nationalities, so check the official government immigration websites of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia for your own situation, and apply early if a visa is needed. Our visa guide explains where to look, and the tickets guide covers how and when to buy.