World Cup glory has remained tantalisingly close yet elusive for the Indian women’s cricket team, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur knows the challenge that lies ahead. She calls it “the final barrier” — one the team is determined to break when they take the field in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, the 50-day countdown to which kicked off in Mumbai on Monday (August 11).
“Playing in front of a home crowd is always special, and hopefully this time we’ll give our 100 per cent and finally break the barrier that all Indian fans have been waiting for,” Harmanpreet said at the launch event.
India’s World Cup journey has been a rollercoaster — runners-up in 2005, third in 2009, seventh in 2013, and heartbreakingly close in 2017, when they lost the final to England at Lord’s despite Harmanpreet’s iconic 171 in the semifinal against Australia. They finished fifth in 2022.
“I still remember that knock — it was very special. At the time, I didn’t fully realise what it meant, but when we returned to India after losing the final, the crowd waiting to welcome us was something truly remarkable,” Harmanpreet recalled.
The event was inaugurated by ICC Chairman Jay Shah, followed by panel discussions featuring Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta. Shah hailed the return of the World Cup to India as a defining moment for the women’s game.
“The 2025 edition will set the stage for a world-class tournament that will elevate the sport’s global stature. At the ICC, we remain open to new ideas and are constantly exploring ways to sustain the upward momentum of women’s cricket. Conversations like today’s are invaluable in shaping our vision,” he said.
The tournament will run from September 30 to November 2, with matches in Vizag, Indore, Guwahati, and Colombo. Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium is also slated to host four matches — including the opener between India and Sri Lanka and a semifinal — though KSCA is still awaiting clearance. Should Pakistan fail to qualify, Bengaluru will host the final on November 2.
