Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock has shared his picks for the four semifinalists of the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The tournament is scheduled to begin on October 2, 2027, with the final set for November 21.

With the next edition set to take place across three African nations, teams will have to adapt to different conditions as they compete for cricket’s biggest prize in the 50-over format. Pollock has backed four sides to make a strong push for the semifinals, although he believes another familiar contender could also challenge for a place in the last four.

Shaun Pollock backs four teams to reach the semifinals

Speaking to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Pollock picked Australia, India, England and South Africa as his four semifinalists for the tournament. Australia will enter the competition as defending champions after defeating India in the 2023 final in Ahmedabad. The victory secured their record-extending sixth ODI World Cup title, further strengthening their standing as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

India, meanwhile, will be hoping to claim their third title after finishing runners-up in the previous edition. England, the 2019 champions, also feature in Pollock’s selections, while South Africa will look to make the most of home conditions as they pursue their maiden ODI World Cup crown.

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Pollock refuses to rule out another semifinal contender

Despite naming his preferred four teams, Pollock was unwilling to dismiss New Zealand’s chances. The Black Caps have consistently challenged for the title in recent editions, reaching the finals in 2015 and 2019 before making it to the semifinals in 2023. New Zealand lost to India in the 2023 semifinals, while South Africa were knocked out by Australia.

Both sides will look to go further in the next edition, with the Proteas aiming to finally turn their strong tournament performances into a maiden title. Pollock’s predicted top four leaves former champions Pakistan and Sri Lanka outside his selections. Pakistan won the trophy in 1992, while Sri Lanka claimed their only title in 1996. Both teams will have the opportunity to challenge those predictions when the tournament gets underway in October 2027.

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