India Women’s Cricket Team to Take on Pakistan in Colombo on October 5
In a unique twist to the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, the Indian women’s cricket team will travel to Colombo to face Pakistan on 5 October, despite India officially hosting the tournament. This arrangement follows a mutual agreement between India, Pakistan, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) to maintain a neutral venue for their head-to-head encounters.
A Neutral Venue Agreement Shaping the Tournament
The clash will be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This setup echoes the hybrid model adopted before the 2025 Champions Trophy, where the Indian men’s squad was permitted to play matches in Dubai instead of visiting Pakistan. Such measures ensure smooth scheduling while respecting geopolitical sensitivities.
World Cup Schedule Highlights and Group Stage Format
The Women's ODI World Cup kicks off on 30 September, with India opening their campaign against Sri Lanka at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Throughout the group stage, all eight participating teams will face each other once. The top four teams will then proceed to the semifinals.
Pakistan’s Matches and Impact on Other Teams
All teams, including India, will travel to Sri Lanka to play Pakistan during the group stage. Should Pakistan advance, the semifinals and final are also slated for Colombo. Pakistan’s schedule in Sri Lanka includes matches against Bangladesh on 2 October, England on 15 October, New Zealand on 18 October, South Africa on 21 October, and Sri Lanka on 24 October.
Other Key Fixtures
- Australia, the defending champions, begin their campaign against New Zealand on 1 October at Holkar Stadium, Indore, and face Pakistan in Colombo on 8 October.
- England will open against South Africa on 3 October in Bengaluru.
This innovative scheduling ensures that despite hosting duties, India accommodates the complexities of hosting matches involving Pakistan by opting for neutral venues, maintaining the spirit of competitive cricket amidst challenges.
