India and South Africa would clash against each other to kick off the ICC Champions Trophy 50-over contest at Cardiff in Wales on June 6, 2013, tournament hosts England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.
The high-octane Group B clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is set for June 15 at Edgbaston.
The final of the eight-team tournament is scheduled to be held at Edgbaston on June 23 while the two semifinals are to be held on June 19 and 20 at the Oval and Cardiff, ECB said in its release.
The teams have been divided into Group A and B, with the top two in each group advancing to the semis.
Group A: Australia, England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.
Group B: India, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies.
“This will be an incredible opportunity for fans to see the world’s very best one-day sides in action over the space of less than three weeks and the fixture schedule has thrown up a host of exciting head-to-head contests,” tournament director Steve Elworthy said.
“Te format means every match counts and all eight teams will feel that they are capable of winning the tournament in a competition, which is set to be one of the highlights of the 2013 summer,” he added.
