NEW DELHI: India’s high-voltage Women’s ODI World Cup clash against Pakistan will be played at a neutral venue — the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo — on October 5, as confirmed by the ICC on Monday. The decision to host the Indo-Pak tie in Colombo aligns with the 'Hybrid Model' that was approved earlier this year for the men’s Champions Trophy and other ICC events after India opted not to travel to Pakistan.
There had been speculation about whether the ICC would schedule the Indo-Pak match in the round-robin stage — a regular feature of global events — especially in the wake of the recent terror attacks in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Given the rising military tensions between the two countries, doubts persisted over whether India would face Pakistan at ICC tournaments. However, with the official schedule released on Monday, those concerns have now been addressed.
India will begin their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on September 30, a fixture that also serves as the tournament opener. On October 26, India will return to Bengaluru to face Bangladesh, ending speculation that the venue might lose hosting rights following a stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL celebrations.
Seeking their first-ever title win, India will take on South Africa on October 9 and then face defending champions Australia on October 12 — both matches will be held in Visakhapatnam.
Following those fixtures, the team will move to Indore to meet England on October 19, and then head to Guwahati for their October 23 game against New Zealand.
“With the eight best teams in the women’s game descending on India, alongside incredible venues and what promises to be record-breaking crowds, we are all looking forward to an unforgettable tournament,” said Jay Shah, the ICC Chairman, in a release.
However, the BCCI is yet to announce the formation of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) responsible for running the tournament.
Australia will open their campaign against New Zealand on October 1 in Indore. Their blockbuster match against England — a rematch of the previous edition’s final — will be held on October 22, also in Indore.
WHERE WILL PAKISTAN PLAY THEIR MATCHES?
As per the hybrid model, Pakistan will play all their World Cup matches in Colombo. Along with the match against India, they are scheduled to face Bangladesh (October 2), Australia (October 8), England (October 15), New Zealand (October 18), South Africa (October 21), and Sri Lanka (October 24) — all at the Premadasa Stadium.
The first semifinal will take place on October 29 at either Guwahati or Colombo, depending on Pakistan’s qualification. The second semifinal will be held in Bengaluru on October 30. The final is scheduled for November 2 and will be played either in Bengaluru or Colombo, based on Pakistan’s progression.
This is the first time since 2013 that India is hosting the Women’s ODI World Cup. The format will follow a round-robin stage with all eight teams playing each other once. The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals.
India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka secured direct entry to the tournament. Pakistan and Bangladesh made it through the Qualifiers held in Lahore earlier this year, with Bangladesh advancing at the cost of the West Indies.
INDIA’S 2025 WOMEN’S ODI WORLD CUP SCHEDULE: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
PAKISTAN’S 2025 WOMEN’S ODI WORLD CUP SCHEDULE:October 2: vs Bangladesh
October 5: vs India
October 8: vs Australia
October 15: vs England
October 18: vs New Zealand
October 21: vs South Africa
October 24: vs Sri Lanka
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