- June 3, 2025
Excitement is in the air as the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup will take place in India after 12 years. But here’s the kicker: India will be the tournament’s host, but some of the matches will not be played on Indian turf. You heard it correctly: the unexpected fifth venue is none other than Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Why, you may ask? Well, in this part of the world, cricket and politics coexist, particularly when it comes to India-Pakistan. So let’s unpack the what, where, and why of this World Cup.
India vs Pakistan: The Venue Dilemma
Due to the long-standing political conflict between India and Pakistan, their inability to agree on where to compete is less than ideal for anyone. India said they refuse to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy, so Pakistan reciprocated and said they refuse to play in India for the Women’s ODI World Cup.
The mutually acceptable resolution? A hybrid host location with all of Pakistan’s matches taking place in Colombo. This is true for all of the knockout matches as well- if Pakistan makes the semi-finals or finals, those matches will also be held in Colombo.
This is far from ideal, but at least it is a creative solution to let the tournament go ahead without having diplomatic crises or forfeiting.
Bengaluru Leads the Charge
Of all the venues in India – Bengaluru, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Indore – Bengaluru is the centre of attention. The first match of the tournament featuring India, the second semi-final, and quite possibly the final, should Pakistan not make it.
Why Bengaluru? Bengaluru is one of the cricket capitals of India, with a good history regarding international matches, and good attendance in the Women’s Premier League. If you compare that with New Chandigarh, it is interesting that they were in the running to host games before they were dropped after feedback from some internal collaborators suggested that it did not match up to an event with a final involving India.
The BCCI wanted to play it safe, and Bengaluru is as safe (and passionate) as it gets.
A High-Stakes Format with a Competitive Field
The tournament will be staged in a round-robin format like in 2022. Eight teams (India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan) will each play once against each other. The top four teams will then move to the semi-finals.
It’s a tightly contested field where even the smallest slip can prove costly.The West Indies learned this firsthand, not qualifying this year after losing to Bangladesh on the net run rate. With 31 matches in just over a month, this World Cup should have plenty of excitement, surprises, and thrilling cricket.
Although the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup-sharing international borders, already feels unique, the enthusiasm is still alive! From chaotic diplomatic gamesmanship to calculated venue decisions, this edition of the World Cup already feels like it is about to be different, and not a ball has been bowled yet.
Will India perform well to home crowds? Will the hybrid model stand under the pressure? One thing is certain – on September 30, all eyes will be on the cricketing action (in Bengaluru or Colombo).
So, cricket fans, are you ready for a World Cup that leaves nothing within the boundaries, literally?
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