The wait is over. The 13th edition of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup gets underway on Tuesday (September 30), with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka taking on each other in Guwahati. Over the next month,
eight of the world's best teams will battle across India and Sri Lanka for the biggest prize in women's cricket.
With a record prize pool, an all-female officiating panel, and packed subcontinental venues, this World Cup promises to be both historic and fiercely competitive.
Women's World Cup 2025: Format and Venues
Teams: 8 (Australia, India, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh)
Format: Single round-robin (each team plays 7 matches) → top 4 advance to semi-finals → winners contest the final on 2 November 2025.
Venues:
India: Guwahati, Indore, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam
Sri Lanka: Colombo (R. Premadasa Stadium)
Opening match: India vs Sri Lanka - Guwahati, 30 September
Defending champions' opener: Australia vs New Zealand - Indore, 1 October
Prize Money and Milestones
The 2025 Women's World Cup carries a record USD 13.88 million prize pool - greater than the men's 2023 edition. The winners will receive USD 4.48 million, underlining the sport's rapid growth.
Another milestone: all matches will be officiated by an all-female panel of umpires and match referees, continuing a trend begun in 2023.
The Defending Champions: Australia
Australia, winners of the 2022 edition in New Zealand, come into the tournament as defending champions and favourites. Led by Alyssa Healy, they remain the team to beat, with a blend of experience and youth.
Key players: Beth Mooney (in sublime batting form), Ellyse Perry (veteran all-rounder), and rising star Georgia Voll (22-year-old batter with a century already to her name).
Challenge: Adjusting to subcontinental conditions, where spin will dominate and the crowds will be intense.
Hosts India: A Golden Opportunity
For Harmanpreet Kaur and her team, this is more than just a World Cup - it is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win the title on home soil.
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain): Playing her fifth ODI World Cup, she calls it "a proud moment to lead India in front of home fans" and adds, "Everyone is waiting for us to win the World Cup, and hopefully this time we will not disappoint. "
Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain): Currently the world's No. 1 ODI batter, she urges the side to focus on "processes over pressure. "
Deepti Sharma (all-rounder): Emphasises the importance of the opener against Sri Lanka: "The first match is always crucial as it sets the tone for the tournament. "
X-Factor: 22-year-old pacer Kranti Gaud, who recently took a record six wickets in England, is tipped to thrive in home conditions.
Other Contenders
England (captain: Nat Sciver-Brunt): Blending seasoned stars with fresh talent like Alice Capsey. England's batting depth and tournament experience make them dangerous.
New Zealand (captain: Sophie Devine): Confident of competing with the best; Georgia Plimmer could be their breakout batter.
South Africa (captain: Laura Wolvaardt): Banking on the experience of Marizanne Kapp and the rise of all-rounder Annerie Dercksen.
Pakistan (captain: Fatima Sana): Eyeing a top-four finish; young batter Eyman Fatima could surprise.
Sri Lanka (captain: Chamari Athapaththu): At home, with crowd support; watch out for all-rounder Dewmi Vihanga and batter Harshiva Samarawickrama.
Bangladesh (captain: Nigar Sultana): Much-improved since their 2022 debut; Sharmin Akhter Supta leads their batting hopes.
Rising Stars to Watch
- Georgia Voll (Australia): Already a centurion at 22.
- Alice Capsey (England): All-rounder with big-hitting ability.
- Kranti Gaud (India): Young pacer with an impressive ODI strike rate.
- Annerie Dercksen (South Africa): Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2024.
- Eyman Fatima (Pakistan): Promising batter, yet to play ODIs.
- Dewmi Vihanga (Sri Lanka): 20-year-old spinner with a five-wicket haul against South Africa.
A World Cup Beyond Borders
This World Cup is also symbolic. A group of Afghan women cricketers in exile in Australia has been invited to watch matches in India as part of an ICC-BCCI-ECB-Cricket Australia initiative. For players banned from sport in their homeland, it represents hope and a chance to keep their cricketing dreams alive. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 promises to be the most competitive edition yet.
For India, the opening clash against Sri Lanka is about more than points - it is about setting the tone for a campaign filled with hope, pressure, and pride. For Australia, it is about defending their crown in the toughest conditions imaginable. And for the women's game, it is another step towards bigger crowds, greater recognition, and a truly global future.
