Mark the dates with this Cricket World Cup calendar

It’s that time again! The time when the teams and entire cricketing fraternity set their sights on just one accolade – the prestigious world title.

The 2019 edition of the Cricket World Cup, the premier cricketing event, begins on May 30 and will run for 46 days across 11 spectacular venues in England and Wales. This will be the fifth time the World Cup will be hosted in that region, following the 1975, 1979, 1983 and 1999 World Cups.

Hosts England, who are also widely tipped as potential winners of the trophy, begin the tournament with a brilliant match-up against South Africa at the Oval.

Five-time champions and the tournament’s most successful side, Australia, kick-start their campaign against Afghanistan, while hot favourites in India face-off against South Africa in their first encounter on June 5.

Reigning ICC Champions Trophy holders Pakistan begin their WC outing against two-time winners West Indies in Nottingham on May 31.

Elsewhere, mouth-watering fixtures are all lined up, with the India-Pakistan match to be played on June 16, while the trans-Tasman rivalry will have another chapter pinned to its rich history as Australia rub shoulders with New Zealand at Lord’s on June 29.

England versus Australia is another one many will mark on their calendars. It will take place at Lord’s on June 25.The semifinals will be held on July 9 and July 11, with the all-important final to take place at the ‘Mecca of Cricket’ on July 14. Each of these knock-out fixtures have a reserve day. Old Trafford, Manchester, will play host on six occasions – the most that is to be played on a single ground.

As far as India are concerned, they play two games apiece at Manchester, Birmingham and Southampton. They take on Australia at the Oval, New Zealand at Nottingham and finish their campaign against Sri Lanka in Leeds.

List of fixtures: (all times in IST)

May 30 (Thursday): England vs South Africa — The Oval - 3 p.m.

May 31 (Friday): West Indies vs Pakistan — Trent Bridge - 3 p.m.

June 1 (Saturday): New Zealand vs Sri Lanka - Cardiff Wales Stadium - 3 p.m.

June 1 (Saturday): Afghanistan vs Australia - Bristol - 6 p.m.

June 2 (Sunday): South Africa vs Bangladesh - The Oval - 3 p.m.

June 3 (Monday): England vs Pakistan - Trent Bridge - 3 p.m.

June 4 (Tuesday): Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka - Cardiff - 3 p.m.

June 5 (Wednesday): South Africa vs India - Southampton - 3 p.m.

June 5 (Wednesday): Bangladesh vs New Zealand (D/N) - Nottingham - 6 p.m.

June 6 (Thursday): Australia vs West Indies - Trent Bridge - 3 p.m.

June 7 (Friday): Pakistan vs Sri Lanka - Bristol - 3 p.m.

June 8 (Saturday): England vs Bangladesh - Cardiff - 3 p.m.

June 8 (Saturday): Afghanistan vs New Zealand - Taunton - 6 p.m.

June 9 (Sunday): India vs Australia - The Oval - 3 p.m.

June 10 (Monday): South Africa vs West Indies - Southampton - 3 p.m.

June 11 (Tuesday): Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka - Bristol - 3 p.m.

June 12 (Wednesday): Australia vs Pakistan - Taunton - 3 p.m.

June 13 (Thursday): India vs New Zealand - Nottingham - 3 p.m.

June 14 (Friday): England vs West Indies - Southampton - 3 p.m.

June 15 (Saturday): Sri Lanka vs Australia - The Oval - 3 p.m.

June 15 (Saturday): South Africa vs Afghanistan - Cardiff - 6 p.m.

June 16 (Sunday): India vs Pakistan - Manchester - 3 p.m.

June 17 (Monday): West Indies vs Bangladesh - Taunton - 3 p.m.

June 18 (Tuesday): England vs Afghanistan - Manchester - 3 p.m.

June 19 (Wednesday): New Zealand vs South Africa - Birmingham - 3 p.m.

June 20 (Thursday): Australia vs Bangladesh - Nottingham - 3 p.m.

June 21 (Friday): England vs Sri Lanka - Headingley - 3 p.m.

June 22 (Saturday): India vs Afghanistan - Southampton - 3 p.m.

June 22 (Saturday): West Indies vs New Zealand - Manchester - 6 p.m.

June 23 (Sunday): Pakistan vs South Africa - Lords - 3 p.m.

June 24 (Monday): Bangladesh vs Afghanistan - Southampton - 3 p.m.

June 25 (Tuesday): England vs Australia - Lords - 3 p.m.

June 26 (Wednesday): New Zealand vs Pakistan - Birmingham - 3 p.m.

June 27 (Thursday): West Indies vs India - Manchester - 3 p.m.

June 28 (Friday): Sri Lanka vs South Africa - Durham - 3 p.m.

June 29 (Saturday): Pakistan vs Afghanistan - Leeds - 3 p.m.

June 29 (Saturday): New Zealand vs Australia - Lords - 6 p.m.

June 30 (Sunday): England vs India - Birmingham - 3 p.m.

July 1 (Monday): Sri Lanka vs West Indies - Durham - 3 p.m.

July 2 (Tuesday): Bangladesh vs India - Birmingham - 3 p.m.

July 3 (Wednesday): England vs New Zealand - Durham - 3 p.m.

July 4 (Thursday): Afghanistan vs West Indies - Leeds - 3 p.m.

July 5 (Friday): Pakistan vs Bangladesh - Lords - 3 p.m.

July 6 (Saturday): Sri Lanka vs India - Leeds - 3 p.m.

July 6 (Saturday): Australia vs South Africa - Manchester - 6 p.m.

July 9 (Tuesday): First Semi-final - Manchester - 3 p.m.

July 11 (Thursday): Second Semi-final - Birmingham - 3 p.m.

July 14 (Sunday): The Final