DUBAI: Pakistan will play New Zealand and Australia in their World Cup warm-up matches in Hyderabad, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday.

The Babar Azam-led unit have been scheduled to play New Zealand — the finalists of the 50-over showpiece’s previous edition — Sept. 29. They will take on five-time champions Australia on Oct. 3.

Both matches will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, where Pakistan will also play their first two World Cup matches — against the Netherlands on Oct. 6 and against Sri Lanka on Oct. 10.

Pakistan’s third match will be the blockbuster clash against hosts and arch-rivals India at the 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Oct. 14.

The venue is also scheduled to stage the tournament opener between England and New Zealand on Oct. 5 and the final on Nov. 19.

India, meanwhile, will play their two warm-up matches against defending champions England and the Netherlands in Guwahati and Thiruvanathapuram on Sept. 30 and Oct. 2 respectively.

Holders England’s other warm-up fixture has been set against Bangladesh at Guwahati.

As at previous World Cups, warm-up fixtures will be 50 overs per side, but will not carry One-day International status as teams will be allowed to field all members of their 15-player squad in these matches.

Warm-up matches schedule:

Sept. 29: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Guwahati; South Africa vs Afghanistan, Thiruvananthapuram; New Zealand vs Pakistan, Hyderabad

Sept 30: India vs England, Guwahati; Australia vs Netherlands, Thiruvananthapuram

Oct. 2: England vs Bangladesh, Guwahati; New Zealand vs South Africa, Thiruvananthapuram

Oct. 3: Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka, Guwahati; India vs

Netherlands, Thiruvananthapuram; Pakistan vs Australia, Hyderabad.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2023