02 October,2026 12:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rohit Sharma (Pic: File Pic)
The ODI World Cup 2027 is set to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia from October 2 to November 21 and the Indian cricket team will be looking to win, with some veterans like Rohit Sharma hungry for it.
Ahead of the tournament, the Team India veteran opening batsman expressed his views about the tournament.
"It'll be great to win the upcoming ODI World Cup, that's all I'll say. I wouldn't think about full circle and all that now. Winning a World Cup for India is a special feeling. I have experienced that twice in the T20 format. In 2007 I was just a young kid of 20 years. Of course, it's a big tournament, you've won a World Cup in your first year, it's great," he said on JioStar.
The right-handed opening batsman also spoke about Team India's triumph in the T20 World Cup 2024. Sharma also said that he wants to experience the feeling yet again by winning the upcoming marquee event.
"Then we won the Champions Trophy in 2013, and after that there was a long period, almost for 11 years, where we couldn't win an ICC title. So that's why, when we won the T20 World Cup in 2024, there was a realisation of how important it was. So that feeling is still inside to a great extent. So, I know what winning a World Cup feels like. So that's why I want that feeling back. The fun we had, you can't describe what that feeling is, because you can't match that. That's why winning that World Cup is very important to me, because I want to feel that feeling again, which we felt recently," added Rohit.
The "Men in Blue" will open their campaign against defending champions Australia at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on October 7, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Team India will meet arch-rivals Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on October 10.
Earlier, a grand ceremony in Johannesburg unveiled the 12 venues that will host next year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, with eight venues in South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and one in Namibia's capital Windhoek selected as tournament locations.
South Africa will host games at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, SuperSport Park in Centurion, Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban, St George's Park in Gqeberha, Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, Boland Park in Paarl and Buffalo Park in KuGompo City (formerly East London), according to the ICC website.
Zimbabwe will stage matches at Harare Sports Club in Harare, Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo and Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls, while Namibia's capital Windhoek will host games at the Namibia Cricket Ground.
