Colombo to host India vs Pakistan women’s World Cup thriller

The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup will commence on September 30, with host India taking on Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 

India has been awarded the hosting rights for the tournament; however, due to political tensions, the Pakistan women's team will play all its matches at a neutral venue. 

Colombo, Sri Lanka, has been designated as the neutral venue for Pakistan’s fixtures.

One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament, the clash between India and Pakistan, will take place on October 5 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo, with the game scheduled to begin at 3 PM IST. 

India enjoys a dominant record over Pakistan in women’s ODIs, having won all 11 previous encounters, including their last World Cup meeting in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, where India secured a convincing 107-run victory.

The Australian women's team will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on October 1. 

Pakistan’s fixtures in the group stage include matches against Bangladesh on October 2, Australia on October 8, England on October 15, New Zealand on October 18, South Africa on October 21, and Sri Lanka on October 24.

The round-robin stage will continue until October 26, after which the top four teams on the points table will qualify for the semifinals. 

The first semifinal is set to be held in either Guwahati or Colombo, while the second will take place in Bengaluru on October 29 and 30, respectively. 

The final of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup will be played on November 2, with Bengaluru or Colombo as the potential host city.