Sports

IIE DIGITAL DESK : The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially revealed the schedule for the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, with one of the tournament’s most anticipated clashes—India vs Pakistan—set for October 5 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The decision to stage the high-voltage encounter at a neutral venue comes as part of a hybrid hosting model agreed upon by the BCCI and PCB, ensuring both teams compete without political hindrances affecting gameplay.

The tournament will run from September 30 to November 2, 2025, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and will feature eight of the world’s top women’s teams: India, Pakistan, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. All teams will play each other once in a round-robin format before the top four progress to the semifinals.

India will kick off their World Cup campaign on September 30 against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, one of five Indian venues selected to host the tournament. Other matches will be played in Visakhapatnam, Guwahati, Indore, and the neutral venue in Colombo, where all of Pakistan’s matches will take place.

India’s full group-stage schedule includes:

• September 30: vs Sri Lanka (Bengaluru)

• October 5: vs Pakistan (Colombo)

• October 9: vs South Africa (Visakhapatnam)

• October 12: vs Australia (Visakhapatnam)

• October 19: vs England (Indore)

• October 23: vs New Zealand (Guwahati)

• October 26: vs Bangladesh (Bengaluru)

All of India’s matches are scheduled for 3 PM IST, ensuring maximum viewership across domestic and global platforms. The encounter against Pakistan is especially significant, not just because of the storied rivalry, but also due to its potential impact on the tournament standings, as every team plays just seven matches before the knockout rounds.

Pakistan, following the hybrid hosting model, will play all seven of their league matches in Colombo. This approach, previously seen in the men’s Asia Cup 2023, was devised to navigate political tensions between India and Pakistan while maintaining the integrity of ICC events. In addition to the October 5 clash against India, Pakistan will also face teams like Australia, England, and Sri Lanka at the same venue.

The semifinals will take place on October 29 and 30, with one match in Colombo (if Pakistan qualifies) and the other in Bengaluru. The final is scheduled for November 2, with the location to be confirmed depending on semi-final results and the qualification of teams requiring a neutral venue.

The 2025 edition also marks a significant milestone as it returns to Indian soil for the first time since 2013, when the tournament was last held in the subcontinent. With India expected to field a young and dynamic squad under a new captaincy setup, expectations are high for a strong showing on home soil.

The defending champions, Australia, enter the tournament aiming for a record-extending eighth title, but strong competition from India, England, and New Zealand makes this edition one of the most unpredictable in recent history.

As anticipation builds, ticketing details and broadcast partners are expected to be announced soon. With a mix of traditional rivalries and emerging talents, the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 promises to be a historic and thrilling event for cricket fans around the globe.