Cricket World Cup Schedule 2015: Updated Fixtures, Table and Predictions
India overcame archrivals Pakistan on Sunday as the two subcontinent sides began their 2015 World Cup campaigns, the defending champions winning convincingly by 76 runs.
Virat Kohli was the star with the bat, scoring 107 as India set Pakistan a target of 301, of which they fell well short, eventually being bowled out for 224.
Hotly tipped South Africa also made a winning start in convincing fashion, beating Zimbabwe by 62 runs after David Miller and JP Duminy made a record one-day international fifth-wicket stand of 256.
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Read on for a fully updated fixture list, group tables and predictions for upcoming matches.
| Date | Start Time (GMT) | Fixture | Venue |
| Feb. 16 | 10 p.m. (day before) | West Indies v Ireland | Nelson |
| Feb. 17 | 10 p.m. (day before) | New Zealand v Scotland | Dunedin |
| Feb. 18 | 3:30 a.m. | Bangladesh v Afghanistan | Canberra |
| Feb. 19 | 10 p.m. (day before) | Zimbabwe v UAE | Nelson |
| Feb. 20 | 1 a.m. | England v New Zealand | Wellington |
| Feb. 21 | 10 p.m. (day before) | Pakistan v West Indies | Christchurch |
| Feb. 21 | 3:30 a.m. | Australia v Bangladesh | Brisbane |
| Feb. 22 | 10 p.m. (day before) | Sri Lanka v Afghanistan | Dunedin |
| Feb. 22 | 3:30 a.m. | South Africa v India | Melbourne |
| Feb. 23 | 10 p.m. (day before) | England v Scotland | Christchurch |
| Feb. 24 | 3:30 a.m. | West Indies v Zimbabwe | Canberra |
| Feb. 25 | 3:30 a.m. | Ireland v UAE | Brisbane |
| Feb. 26 | 10 p.m. (day before) | Afghanistan v Scotlan | Dunedin |
| Feb. 26 | 3:30 a.m. | Sri Lanka v Bangladesh | Melbourne |
| Feb. 27 | 3:30 a.m. | South Africa v West Indies | Sydney |
| Feb. 28 | 1 a.m. | Australia v New Zealand | Auckland |
| Feb. 28 | 6:30 a.m. | India v UAE | Perth |
| March 1 | 10 p.m. (day before) | England v Sri Lanka | Wellington |
| March 1 | 3:30 a.m. | Pakistan v Zimbabwe | Brisbane |
| March 3 | 3:30 a.m. | South Africa v Ireland | Canberra |
| March 4 | 1 a.m. | Pakistan v UAE | Napier |
| March 4 | 6:30 a.m. | Australia v Afghanistan | Perth |
| March 5 | 10 p.m. (day before) | Bangladesh v Scotland | Nelson |
| March 6 | 6:30 a.m. | India v West Indies | Perth |
| March 7 | 1 a.m. | South Africa v Pakistan | Auckland |
| March 7 | 3:30 a.m. | Zimbabwe v Ireland | Hobart |
| March 8 | 10 p.m. (day before) | New Zealand v Afghanistan | Napier |
| March 8 | 3:30 a.m. | Australia v Sri Lanka | Sydney |
| March 9 | 3:30 a.m. | England v Bangladesh | Adelaide |
| March 10 | 1 a.m. | India v Ireland | Hamilton |
| March 11 | 3:30 a.m. | Sri Lanka v Scotland | Hobart |
| March 12 | 1 a.m. | South Africa v UAE | Wellington |
| March 13 | 1 a.m. | Bangladesh v New Zealand | Hamilton |
| March 13 | 3:30 a.m. | England v Afghanistan | Sydney |
| March 14 | 1 a.m. | India v Zimbabwe | Auckland |
| March 14 | 3:30 a.m. | Australia v Scotland | Hobart |
| March 15 | 10 p.m. (day before) | West Indies v UAE | Napier |
| March 15 | 3:30 a.m. | Pakistan v Ireland | Adelaide |
| March 18 | 3:30 a.m. | Quarter-final 1 | Sydney |
| March 19 | 3:30 a.m. | Quarter-final 2 | Melbourne |
| March 20 | 3:30 a.m. | Quarter-final 3 | Adelaide |
| March 21 | 1 a.m. | Quarter-final 4 | Wellington |
| March 24 | 1 a.m. | Semi-final 1 | Auckland |
| March 25 | 3:30 a.m. | Semi-final 2 | Sydney |
| March 29 | 4:30 a.m. BST | Final | Melbourne |
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result | Run Rate | Points |
| Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.22 | 2 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.96 | 2 |
| Afghanistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bangladesh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scotland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1.96 | 0 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2.22 | 0 |
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result | Run Rate | Points |
| India | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.52 | 2 |
| South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.24 | 2 |
| Ireland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| United Arab Emirates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| West Indies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1.24 | 0 |
| Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1.52 | 0 |
Ireland vs. West Indies
The West Indies come into the tournament in New Zealand and Australia under significant pressure and without a key trio of players, per ESPNcricinfo:
Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo were mystifyingly not selected for the World Cup squad, while Sunil Narine withdrew from the group to give him more time to work on his new bowling action.
West Indies only narrowly beat Scotland in their final warm-up match, and the Irish should pose a much more significant challenge.
The talismanic Chris Gayle is in disastrous form with the bat, per cricket writer Freddie Wilde, while newly installed 23-year-old captain Jason Holder is under huge pressure to galvanise his team effectively:
The Irish have a history of upsetting so-called bigger sides at World Cups—see the defeats of England and Pakistan in 2011 and 2007 respectively—and will feel they have a major chance against the West Indies.
Indeed, skipper William Porterfield believes it would be no surprise if his side pull off a victory, per BBC Sport:
"We're preparing for every game and going out there to win that game. I don't think it will be a surprise to anyone if we go out there and win.
"
Ireland's form is difficult to judge after they beat Bangladesh but were thrashed by Scotland in their warm-up games. However, they will likely be the more motivated side and could well open their campaign with a win.
Prediction: Ireland to win narrowly.
New Zealand vs. Scotland
Scotland's opening World Cup game is a tough challenge against in-form co-hosts New Zealand, the Kiwis having opened the tournament with a 98-run mauling of Sri Lanka.
The pair face off on Tuesday in Dunedin, and although Scotland are in decent form having narrowly lost to the West Indies after beating Ireland in their warm-up games, they are huge underdogs.
One of the undoubted minnows of the tournament, Scotland can surely have no expectations of beating New Zealand on home soil.
The Kiwis thrashed Sri Lanka on Saturday and boast phenomenal batting depth, and the likes of Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Corey Anderson will all be confident of scoring big against Scotland.
The Kiwis are being tipped by many to go a long way in this year's competition, per cricket writer Amy Lofthouse, and do not look set to slip up in Dunedin:
Complacency may be Scotland's only chance of getting a result against the co-hosts, but New Zealand skipper McCullum is unlikely to allow any over-confidence from his men.
Prediction: New Zealand to win convincingly.
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