ICC Announces Schedule for Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025; India to Face Sri Lanka in Opener

Dubai, June 16 (UNI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday officially released the full schedule for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, with hosts India set to launch the tournament against Sri Lanka on September 30 in Bengaluru.

The much-anticipated 13th edition of the Women’s World Cup will run from September 30 to November 2, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. A total of eight teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals.

Reigning champions Australia will begin their title defence against arch-rivals and current T20 World Cup champions New Zealand in Indore on October 1, setting the stage for a thrilling tournament.

Match Venues:
The matches will be played across five cities: Bengaluru, Vizag, Indore, Guwahati (India), and Colombo (Sri Lanka).

• One semi-final will be held in Bengaluru.
• The other will be in Colombo or Guwahati, depending on final arrangements.
• The grand finale is scheduled for November 2 in either Bengaluru or Colombo.

Warm-up Matches:
All teams will play two warm-up matches starting from September 24.

• India will face England (2022 runners-up) in Bengaluru on Sept 24.
• Their second warm-up game is against South Africa on Sept 27 in Guwahati.

Qualified Teams:
The eight participating teams include hosts India, defending champions Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Qualifier winners Pakistan and Bangladesh. These teams qualified through the ICC Women’s Championship and the World Cup Qualifier held earlier this year.

Speaking on the announcement, ICC Chairman Jay Shah expressed optimism, stating, “The confirmation of the schedule only builds further excitement and anticipation. 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.”

The 2025 edition is expected to set new benchmarks in visibility, viewership, and fan engagement, as women’s cricket continues its global rise.