The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 launched with record-breaking attendance for the opening match between India and Sri Lanka in Guwahati. Almost 23,000 fans thronged the ACA Stadium to watch a cornucopia of great cricketing action, enthralling live performances and a scintillating musical tribute to a local icon.
The attendance of 22,843 spectators for the opening match of the ICC WCWC 2025 is the highest ever for a group stage fixture at any ICC Women's event, beating the previous best of 15,935 at the India versus Pakistan fixture at the Dubai International Stadium during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024.
The day began with a deeply moving musical tribute to Assam's beloved icon, the late Zubeen Garg. Acclaimed musicians Papon, Joi Barua,
and the renowned Shillong Chamber Choir delivered stirring renditions of his most celebrated works, honouring his legacy in front of an emotional home crowd.
As the players took the field, the emotion carried through with a stirring rendition of the national anthems with Shreya Ghoshal lending her voice to India's national anthem and Nuwandhika Kumari singing the Sri Lankan national anthem.
At the mid-innings interval, Shreya Ghoshal returned to the stage to perform the official tournament anthem, alongside a vibrant medley of her hit songs.
This spectacular opening marks the beginning of a tournament that promises not just great cricket but signals a transformational moment for women's sport in the country.
The BCCI also took the opportunity to honour 16 former Indian women cricketers, which included ICC Hall of Famers Diana Eduljee and Neetu David, and former captains Shanta Rangaswamy, Pramila Bhatt, Purnima Rau, Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj.
The crowds swelled up despite intermittent showers, raising hope of higher attendance in upcoming matches of the 31-match tournament played across Guwahati, Indore, Vishakhapatnam and Mumbai in India and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
This competition has been earmarked by many as a game-changer for women's cricket in India, with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar emphasising the importance of the tournament.
"I must acknowledge the strides made in the past few years," he stated. "The Women's Premier League has been nothing short of a game-changer. It has provided the platform, visibility, and financial security that generations of women cricketers could only dream of.
"A lot of credit must go to Jay Shah, who, during his time as BCCI secretary, pushed for equal match fees for men and women and laid the foundation for the WPL.
"These steps may appear administrative on paper, but in reality, they change lives. They tell every aspiring young girl that her passion is valued equally.
"I also want to thank the ICC for announcing record prize money for this tournament, even surpassing what was on offer for the men's World Cup in 2023.
"Symbolically and practically, it sends a powerful message, that women's cricket deserves not just applause, but equal respect. "
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