Sri Lanka's B3 slot is the one the ICC chose to explain how its new seeding works: if Bangladesh qualify and Sri Lanka do not, Bangladesh take B3. That makes Sri Lanka v Bangladesh in Durban on 16 October one of the most consequential group games of the tournament.
If they hold on to B3, Sri Lanka play both the first and the last match of the Super 7. Here is the full route of the 1996 champions.
Sri Lanka at a glance
- Group B: New Zealand, South Africa, England, Bangladesh, Qualifier B
- First match: Sunday 10 October v Qualifier B at the Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek
- Super 7 slot: B3, if they qualify
- World Cup title: 1996. Runners-up: 2007 and 2011
Group stage
Sri Lanka begin in Namibia with two games in Windhoek, Qualifier B and then England on 13 October, the Namibia Cricket Ground's last match. Bangladesh in Durban follows, and the group closes with two games at the Wanderers in three days: New Zealand on 20 October and the hosts on 22 October.
If Sri Lanka reach the Super 7: the B3 path
B3 opens the Super 7 against Australia at the Wanderers on 25 October and closes it against India in Durban on 14 November. In between, the spacing is the most even of any slot: exactly four days between every game. Two of the six are in Bloemfontein, South Africa and Pakistan back to back.
Semi-finals and the final
The semi-finals are at Newlands on 17 November and SuperSport Park on 18 November, each with a reserve day. Sri Lanka have a South African semi-final in their history: they lost to Australia in Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha, at the 2003 World Cup. The 2027 final is at the Wanderers on 21 November.
Sri Lanka's venue guide
Namibia Cricket Ground, Windhoek
Qualifier B and England, the first two games.
Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
New Zealand and South Africa in the group, then Australia to open the Super 7. Three games at South Africa's biggest ground if they qualify.
Durban
Bangladesh in the group, the game that could decide who holds B3, and India in the last Super 7 match.
KuGompo City, Cape Town and Bloemfontein
The middle of the B3 path: New Zealand on the Eastern Cape coast, England at Newlands, then South Africa and Pakistan in Bloemfontein.
Can Sri Lanka win it?
Sri Lanka won in 1996 and reached the final in 2007 and 2011. The immediate task in 2027 is narrower: beat Bangladesh in Durban and protect the B3 slot. Do that, and the most evenly spaced Super 7 schedule at the tournament is theirs.
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Frequently asked questions
When is Sri Lanka's first match at the 2027 World Cup?
Sunday 10 October 2027 against Qualifier B at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek.
How many World Cups have Sri Lanka won?
One, in 1996, when they beat Australia in the final in Lahore. They were runners-up in 2007 and 2011.
When do Sri Lanka play India at the 2027 World Cup?
Only in the Super 7, if both qualify: A1 plays B3 in Durban on Sunday 14 November, the last Super 7 match.
What happens to B3 if Sri Lanka do not qualify?
The team that qualifies in their place inherits B3 and its six fixtures. The ICC's own example is Bangladesh taking B3 and playing Australia in Johannesburg on 25 October.