The buzz is palpable across India as the nation gets ready to host the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, a tournament poised to be a defining moment not just for the players on the field, but for the sport’s legacy in the country. Cricket fans from Mumbai to Guwahati are brimming with hope, wondering if this could finally be the year India’s women’s team lifts the coveted trophy at home. The stakes? Nothing less than rewriting the history and geography of women’s cricket in India, as former captain Diana Edulji so eloquently put it.
The tournament kicks off on September 30, 2025, with India facing Sri Lanka at Guwahati. For the fourth time, India plays host to the Women’s Cricket World Cup, having previously welcomed the world’s best in 1978, 1997, and 2013. But the trophy has always eluded the hosts. Their best finish came in 1997, when a spirited run ended in heartbreak at the semifinal stage against Australia in New Delhi.
This time, the Indian squad is led by the dynamic Harmanpreet Kaur, with star batter Smriti Mandhana providing both runs and inspiration. Since the last World Cup in New Zealand, where India finished fifth, Mandhana has been nothing short of prolific—amassing 2,100 runs at a staggering average of 58.33, including eight centuries. "I think our belief has changed a lot with the effort put in," Mandhana explained. "The fight will always be there and everyone in this team believes they are match winners. A lot of things have changed in India for women’s cricket since 2013. We have been waiting for this tournament to come about."
The squad’s strength lies in its spin attack, with Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, and Radha Yadav ready to take advantage of subcontinental pitches. This bowling trio, coupled with India’s batting prowess, has fueled optimism that the team can finally go the distance. And why not? The women in blue have shown their mettle in recent series, including maiden T20I and ODI away victories against England, and a gritty performance against Australia. Harmanpreet Kaur herself is brimming with confidence, believing the blend of youth and experience could be the secret ingredient for a maiden World Cup triumph.
But the road to glory is anything but easy. Eight teams are vying for the title: defending champions Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and of course, India. Matches will play out across five venues—four in India and one in Colombo, Sri Lanka—culminating in a grand finale on November 2. The Indian team’s league stage itinerary is a true test of endurance and adaptability, with two matches each at Visakhapatnam and Navi Mumbai, and one apiece in Guwahati, Indore, and Colombo.
The political backdrop adds another layer of intrigue. Due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, all of Pakistan’s games, including the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash on October 5, will be held at a neutral venue in Colombo. The arrangement, mandated by the ICC through 2027, ensures that cricket remains the focus, even as diplomatic relations add their own subplot.
Australia, the dominant force in women’s cricket, arrive as the team to beat. With seven titles from nine finals in twelve tournaments, the Aussies are led by Alyssa Healy and feature a blend of seasoned campaigners—Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt—and exciting newcomers like Sophie Molineux (returning from injury), Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Phoebe Litchfield, and Georgia Voll. For some, including Healy and Perry, this could be the last shot at ODI World Cup glory, adding a sense of urgency to their campaign. "We are going to play a lot of spin in this World Cup, especially in the middle overs," Healy acknowledged, well aware of the challenges posed by Indian conditions.
England, ranked second, have undergone a leadership shakeup with Charlotte Edwards taking over as coach and Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain. Eight players from their 2022 final lineup return, but their recent form has been patchy. New Zealand and South Africa, ranked fourth and fifth respectively, are no pushovers either. New Zealand’s adaptability and South Africa’s core group, led by captain Laura Wolvaardt and all-rounders Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk, make them serious contenders.
Yet, for Indian fans, the narrative is personal and emotional. Former captain Diana Edulji, reflecting on the 1983 men’s World Cup win and the women’s first Test triumph in 1976, sees a potential victory in 2025 as transformative. "Definitely. People have been expecting this win since 2017, when we narrowly missed it. Every time, we get it right till the semifinals and then can’t cross that line. It is going to be difficult, but it will change the whole history and geography of women’s cricket, in this country at least," Edulji told The Indian Express. She believes a win would inspire the next generation and help women’s cricket become a viable professional path. "If we cross the line this time, it will be absolutely great. If you come into the finals, then there is no looking back. Then you have to absolutely go more than 100 percent."
Sudha Shah, another former player, echoed Edulji’s sentiments, emphasizing that a home soil victory would send viewership and interest skyrocketing. "I think even the 2017 World Cup, where we lost the finals...the viewership, the interest, everything went up from there. Now, if we win it, I think it will skyrocket, and you can see more girls playing. I think for us as old players, for whatever we started and where we will get there, I think it will be worth the journey," Shah said. She pointed out that increased media coverage and the rise of household names have already elevated the profile of Indian women’s cricket.
All eyes are now on Guwahati, where the opening match against Sri Lanka will set the tone. Can India break the jinx and seize the moment? With a blend of experience, youthful exuberance, and a nation’s hopes riding on their shoulders, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side is ready to take on the world. The action is set, the narratives are compelling, and as the first ball is bowled, a country will dare to dream—again.
As the tournament gets underway, anticipation is at fever pitch. Will this be the year that India’s women finally step out of the shadows and into the spotlight, forever altering the landscape of cricket in the country? The journey begins now, and the world is watching.
