The countdown has officially begun for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, and anticipation is reaching a fever pitch across the cricketing world. In a remarkable display of unity and global spirit, all eight team captains gathered for a unique Captains’ Day event on September 26, 2025, held simultaneously in Bengaluru and Colombo. The event, just four days ahead of the tournament’s opening match, brought together the leaders of women’s cricket’s finest teams to share their thoughts, ambitions, and hopes for this landmark edition.
Captains Alyssa Healy (Australia), Nat Sciver-Brunt (England), Sophie Devine (New Zealand), and Harmanpreet Kaur (India) addressed fans and media in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Fatima Sana (Pakistan), and Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh) spoke from Colombo. This split-city format was more than a logistical necessity—it was a powerful symbol of the global reach and growing stature of women’s cricket.
The energy at both venues was palpable as the captains reflected on their preparations and the state of the women’s game. There’s no denying it: the 13th edition of the Women’s Cricket World Cup is shaping up to be the most competitive and celebrated yet. With matches set to unfold across five venues—Guwahati, Indore, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Colombo—from September 30 to November 2, 2025, every team is eyeing the coveted trophy and a share of the record prize pool of 13.88 million US dollars. The winner’s purse alone stands at a staggering 4.48 million dollars, surpassing even last year’s men’s tournament.
For India’s Harmanpreet Kaur, the significance of leading her team at home can’t be overstated. "Representing your country is always a special moment for any player. But leading your country in an ODI World Cup is even more special for me. Every team in this World Cup has an equal chance to win, which shows how much we have raised the standard of women's cricket. We’ve also started seeing packed stadiums, which is something we really enjoy because we’ve never seen that before. A home World Cup is always special, and there are a lot of expectations from us. We’re going to see a lot of fans in the stadium cheering for us, and I’m sure we’ll give our best," Kaur told the assembled media in Bengaluru.
Her counterpart in Colombo, Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka, echoed the sentiment of home advantage and the importance of fan support. "We are playing on our home soil, and I know many Sri Lankans will be there to support us. We need that energy and encouragement, just like we experienced during the Asia Cup, where there were many spectators. I hope to see the same vibrant atmosphere in the stadiums during our World Cup matches. We want to enjoy the moment, taking it one game at a time. We do not want to put too much pressure on ourselves but rather play our natural game freely. That is our intention," Athapaththu said, radiating calm determination.
The defending champions, Australia, are led by the ever-competitive Alyssa Healy. She laid out the challenge ahead: "Defending a title is not easy. I think every team is here to win the World Cup. We know what we need to do to try and achieve that. You have to beat every single side in the world to lift that trophy, which is really exciting. We’re really looking forward to that challenge. I believe this is going to be the toughest World Cup we’ve ever been a part of. Australia has a rich history in this format and in World Cups, but I think every single team is going to be tough to beat."
England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt pointed to the unique energy Indian crowds bring, as well as the blend of youth and experience in her squad. "The number of people who come to games in India, support cricket and truly love watching it brings a different energy, another level to the game that we hadn’t experienced before. So, I think the matches here in India are going to be greatly watched, and that’s really exciting as a player. We’ve got some highly skilled and talented young players who haven’t experienced a World Cup before. Sometimes, when you haven’t experienced it, you don’t know what to expect, so those expectations from before aren't there. So, I think the youth in our side can balance well with the experience. I believe the quality of cricket in this tournament is going to be really exciting."
New Zealand’s Sophie Devine, never one to shy away from big ambitions, emphasized the importance of belief and equal opportunity: "It's certainly a nice feeling to have that confidence and the belief that we can win world events. I think for us, that's really important to know. It’s a different format. Everyone starts back on zero. So, for us again, like both Alyssa [Healy] and Nat [Sciver-Brunt] said, we're here to win this trophy, and you've got to beat everyone in this competition. We've got to be at our best. I think it's the opportunities that are provided [for women’s cricket]; it's been pretty crazy to think at the start of my career. I think the next step is to make sure that it is a truly global game and that all boards across the world are provided with equal opportunity to be able to play more cricket."
For Pakistan, Fatima Sana highlighted the advantage of familiarity with the venues: "We have a significant advantage playing here [in Colombo] and executing our skills because we know we will be playing all our matches at the same venue and under the same conditions. This familiarity will work in our favor. Yes, definitely, our main goal is to finish in the top four. I believe the conditions in Sri Lanka are similar to those in Pakistan, so we are familiar with the exact conditions."
Bangladesh’s Nigar Sultana reflected on her team’s growth: "This is our second ODI World Cup and earlier we were inexperienced and unfamiliar with winning on a big stage. However, since then, we have played a lot of cricket both at home and abroad, and now we know how to win matches in tournament settings. We are eagerly looking forward to this World Cup. This is a great opportunity for all of us. We are aware of our responsibility to promote cricket back home, where interest in women’s cricket is growing. We believe it is time to give back to our supporters through our performances."
South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt summed up the competitive spirit: "I think in a tournament like this, every team is a big team. I think there’s no sort of single team or two that are set up to win it. In these conditions, it really brings a lot of the subcontinent teams into the game, so I think our strategy for the tournament will really just be to take it one game at a time and not think about big names."
This World Cup is historic for reasons beyond the boundary. It marks the first women’s ICC global event on the sub-continent since 2016 and the return of the Women’s Cricket World Cup to the region after 2013. For the first time, the entire tournament will be officiated by an all-female panel, continuing a trend that began with senior global women’s events in 2023. The round-robin format ensures that every match matters, and there’s no room for complacency.
The action kicks off with India facing Sri Lanka in Guwahati on September 30, followed by Australia’s title defense against New Zealand in Indore on October 1. With matches also in Visakhapatnam, Navi Mumbai, and Colombo, fans are set for a cricketing spectacle like no other. As the teams finalize preparations and captains rally their squads, the world watches with bated breath—ready for a tournament that promises not just high-quality cricket, but a celebration of how far the women’s game has come and where it is heading next.
