The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 (CWC 2025) isn’t just cricket, it’s part circus, part soap opera, and part survival test in the 40-degree heat of the UAE’s cousin weather in India and Sri Lanka. Eight teams will sweat, swing, and sledge their way through sticky wickets and stickier press conferences.
From Australia’s ruthless ‘we collect trophies like Pokémon cards’ attitude to India’s eternal quest to finally stop being bridesmaids, the narrative is juicier than a mango lassi. Sri Lanka co-hosting adds curry-flavored spice, while India guarantees stadiums packed with Bollywood music, TikTok dances, and at least one politician trying to claim credit for a six. With Pakistan playing only in Colombo, the drama is already more scripted than a reality show. And somewhere between Alyssa Healy’s smirk and Harmanpreet Kaur’s glare, history will be rewritten, or at least meme-ified.
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Australia - Trophy hoarders or trophy bored?
Australia’s women walk into this CWC 2025 like the boss level in a video game, unbeatable, unbothered, and borderline smug. Seven World Cups already, they may need a separate shelf at ICC headquarters.
Alyssa Healy leads with the vibe of a rock band frontwoman, while Ashleigh Gardner bats and bowls like she’s auditioning to be the next Marvel superhero. Critics complain they’re ‘too dominant,’ but honestly, that’s like blaming The Undertaker for winning too much in WWE.
Their young guns, Phoebe Litchfield and Darcie Brown, are so good they’d probably still win if the senior squad went on holiday to Goa. The only real concern? Injury niggles to Healy and Sophie Molineux, but Australia’s bench is scarier than most starting XIs. The rest of the world secretly prays for an upset, but deep down, everyone knows it’s like waiting for McDonald’s to stop serving fries, not gonna happen.
England – Tea, drama and Sophie Ecclestone's left arm of doom
England arrive in CWC 2025 like the slightly chaotic cousin at a wedding, glamorous but always on the verge of spilling curry on the carpet. Their coach is new, their form is mixed, but with Nat Sciver-Brunt around, anything is possible.
Sophie Ecclestone spins the ball so viciously that batters may as well bring brooms instead of bats. Alice Capsey is the TikTok-ready star, and Lauren Bell is auditioning to be the ‘Jofra Archer of women’s cricket.’ Their warm-up win against India sent warning shots, but consistency is their biggest enemy , they’re either brilliant or baffling, sometimes in the same innings.
The return of Heather Knight adds Shakespearean drama: can the old guard blend with the TikTok generation? If they click, they could dethrone Australia. If they don’t, expect memes about England ‘inventing cricket but forgetting how to play it’ to trend again.
India - Bridesmaids no more or Bollywood bloopers again?
Co-hosts India walk in CWC 2025 with the weight of one billion expectations, a billion memes, and at least 20 billion hot takes. Harmanpreet Kaur looks calm, but inside she’s thinking, ‘This better not be another 2005 or 2017 heartbreak.’
Smriti Mandhana, the No. 1 ODI batter, bats like a dream, while young opener Pratika Rawal is being hyped as the ‘Shafali 2.0, now with better footwork.’ The bowling unit finally has teeth, with Renuka Singh Thakur back in action and spinners ready to turn the ball more than political promises. The crowd in CWC 2025 will be electric, every six a festival, every wicket a funeral.
But pressure is India’s eternal frenemy: one bad chase, one silly collapse and social media will turn harsher than your grandmother’s unsolicited career advice. Still, with momentum and home conditions, this could finally be their cinematic climax, or just another Bollywood sequel nobody asked for.
Sri Lanka - Chamari Athapaththu and her band of braveheart misfits
Sri Lanka aren’t just co-hosts in CWC 2025; they’re the wildcard entertainers who bring heart, hustle, and at least one Athapaththu masterclass per tournament. Chamari bats like she’s furious at the cricket ball for existing and when she clicks, entire bowling line-ups file police complaints.
The problem? Beyond her brilliance, the squad often looks like extras in her one-woman show. Their form has been inconsistent and a warm-up loss to Bangladesh raised eyebrows higher than IPL auction prices.
Still, the home advantage in Colombo means spinners like Inoka Ranaweera could sneak in surprise kills. Vishmi Gunaratne and Dewmi Vihanga add youthful energy, but consistency remains shakier than a Jenga tower in an earthquake. For Sri Lanka, every victory is a party, every loss is shrugged off with island chill. Expect fireworks, even if the final script doesn’t include them lifting the CWC 2025 trophy.
Pakistan & Bangladesh - Trouble-makers, dream-breakers and meme-makers
Pakistan and Bangladesh may not be CWC 2025 favourites, but oh boy, they’re the official spice rack of this World Cup. Pakistan, led by young Fatima Sana, are unpredictable one d,ay beating giants, next day collapsing like Wi-Fi during a Netflix binge. Sidra Amin’s centuries show their potential, but consistency is their kryptonite. Still, with Diana Baig back, expect some fast-bowling drama that makes batters question their life choices.
On the other hand, Bangladesh are here for only their second World Cup, but don’t let that fool you. Nigar Sultana anchors like a ship captain in a storm, while Nahida Akter spins webs thicker than your WhatsApp family group chat. Their CWC 2025 warm-up win against Sri Lanka showed they’re no pushovers. Together, these two teams may not take the trophy, but they’ll definitely take scalps, headlines, and a permanent spot in the meme hall of fame.
New Zealand – The Kiwi underdogs who punch above their weight
New Zealand are like that indie band everyone respects but nobody thinks will headline the festival. They’ve won one World Cup (2000) and still live off that DVD, but don’t sleep on them. Sophie Devine is a walking six-machine, Amelia Kerr is basically two players in one (batter + bowler + occasional therapist) and Suzie Bates still bats like she’s got unfinished business with bowlers worldwide.
Their recent series win over Sri Lanka shows they’re not here just to clap politely while Australia and India hog the spotlight. Georgia Plimmer and Flora Devonshire bring youthful swagger, the kind that might accidentally win you a match when the seniors are sipping Gatorade.
The problem? Consistency, sometimes they play like champions, sometimes like club cricketers who forgot their pads. If New Zealand click in CWC 2025, expect giant-killing headlines. If they don’t, well, they’ll still leave smiling, because that’s just Kiwi energy.
South Africa - Pace, power and perennial semi-final syndrome
South Africa are the CWC 2025 tournament’s gym freaks, all muscle, all power but somehow never finishing the marathon. Laura Wolvaardt bats so elegantly she could open a fashion show and a World Cup inning on the same day. Marizanne Kapp, meanwhile, is the Swiss army knife of cricket: bowl, bat, carry the team, fix the Wi-Fi. Their pace trio of Khaka, Klaas and Sekhukhune can scare batters faster than load-shedding scares Johannesburg.
Yet, for all this talent, South Africa have a curse: they always reach semis and then implode like a Bollywood plot twist. Their CWC 2025 warm-up win over Pakistan shows readiness, but history makes everyone nervous. Youngsters like Karabo Meso and Annerie Dercksen could be the fresh spark, but pressure has been their Achilles’ heel. Will 2025 finally be the year they break the hoodoo, or is it another ‘so close, yet so far’ Netflix rerun?
Frequently Asked Questions
The Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 will be held from September 30 to November 2, 2025, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
A total of eight teams will compete: India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The format is a round-robin stage, where all eight teams play each other once. The top four teams advance to the semi-finals, followed by the final.
Australia are the defending champions, having won the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup.
Matches will be played across multiple venues in India and Sri Lanka. India will host the majority of group-stage games, while Sri Lanka will host a share of matches, including some featuring Pakistan (due to political sensitivities).
