Battle of the Best: Women’s Cricket World Cup

Cricket fans, it’s time to celebrate one of the greatest spectacles in sport, the Women’s Cricket World Cup. If you call it the world cup of cricket, CWC cricket, ICC Cricket World Cup, or simply the ICC World Cup, this tournament stands as a testament to skill, spirit, and the growth of women’s cricket. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the history, records, recent highlights, and what to expect in the upcoming edition, in simple English.

What is the Women’s Cricket World Cup?

The Women’s Cricket World Cup is the premier international One-Day International (ODI) tournament for women. Organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), it is the female equivalent of the men’s major tournaments.

First held in 1973 in England, the world cup of cricket for women has been played mostly every four years.
Matches are played in the One Day International format: each team gets 50 overs.
Eight teams currently take part (this will increase in future tournaments).

What, When & Where

The 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (often called the Women’s Cricket World Cup) is the 13th edition.
Format: 50-overs per side (ODIs), round-robin stage followed by semi-finals and a final.
Dates: 30 September to 2 November 2025.
Hosts: India and Sri Lanka jointly.

How Teams Got In

Eight teams are in the world cup of cricket (women’s ODI version):

India – as host.
Sri Lanka – as co-host.
Australia – via the Women’s Championship.
England – via Championship.
New Zealand – via Championship.
South Africa – via Championship.
Bangladesh – through the Qualifier tournament.
Pakistan – also via the Qualifier.

Squads: Key Players to Watch

Here are some important players and notes from several squads. These are the people to keep your eye on in this ICC World Cup.

Team	Captain & Highlights	New/Interesting Players
Australia	Captain: Alyssa Healy. Vice-captain: Tahlia McGrath. Big names: Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner.	Phoebe Litchfield (young batter), Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham are newer to World Cup-level ODI play.

India	Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur, Vice-captain: Smriti Mandhana. Strong batting core: Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, among others.	Players returning from injury, or making comebacks: Renuka Singh, Amanjot Kaur. Some surprises: Yastika Bhatia included for glovework & batting.
England	Captain: Nat Sciver-Brunt. Lots of spin bowlers in the squad, depth in batting.	Sarah Glenn is back; some domestic players are stepping up.
New Zealand	Veteran players: Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates.	New faces: Flora Devonshire, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Bree Illing among younger players expected to grow in future rounds.
South Africa	Captain: Laura Wolvaardt. Experienced players: Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus.	Karabo Meso (young wicketkeeper), some newer all-rounders and bowlers.
Pakistan	Captain: Fatima Sana.	Includes Eyman Fatima, who is uncapped (new).
Sri Lanka	Captain: Chamari Athapaththu. It has a mix of veterans and youth.	Several first-time World Cup players for Sri Lanka; a chance to perform at home.
Bangladesh	Captain: Nigar Sultana.	Young players like Nishita Akter Nishi etc.; batting-and-bowling balance being developed.

Fixtures & Matchups: What the Schedule Looks Like

Here are some key match dates and who plays whom. Knowing this helps fans plan which exciting games are ahead.

Opening match: India vs Sri Lanka on 30 September 2025.
Some group matches:
- Australia vs New Zealand on 1 October at Indore.
- Bangladesh vs Pakistan early in the tournament in Colombo.
- India vs Pakistan on 5 October in Colombo.
- India vs Australia on 12 October in Visakhapatnam.
Knock-out stage:
- Semi-finals are around 29-30 October.
- Final is on 2 November 2025.

Special Venue & Neutral Matches

Because of political and diplomatic reasons, Pakistan’s matches (in group stage, and if they make semis or final) will be played in Colombo, Sri Lanka instead of India.
One venue changed: Navi Mumbai (DY Patil Stadium) replaced Bengaluru as one of the host cities.

What Makes This World Cup Exciting

It’ll be the last Women’s Cricket World Cup with only eight teams. Future editions will have more.
Many fresh & young players are making their World Cup debuts. Big chance for them to shine on the world stage.
Big rivalries: India vs Australia, England vs New Zealand, Pakistan trying to step up.
Conditions vary: pitches in India tend to favour batting/spin; Sri Lanka may throw in more spin or slower decks. Strategy will matter.
With round-robin format, every match counts: losing even one or two badly can hurt chances of reaching semis.

Predictions & Fan Watchlist

Here are some predictions (just for fun) and players you should keep an eye on:

Favourite Teams: Australia (defending champs), India (home advantage), England.
Dark Horses: Pakistan (if their young players do well), Sri Lanka (home spirit), South Africa (experience).
Players to Watch:
- Smriti Mandhana (India) – reliable batting, big scores.
- Phoebe Litchfield (Australia) – young, aggressive batter.
- Ellyse Perry – experienced all-round contribution.
- Fatima Sana (Pakistan) – captain, all-rounder.
- Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) – strong batting across tournaments.

Conclusion

The 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup is shaping up to be thrilling, more than just an ICC event. It’s the world cup of cricket showing women’s power, skill, and rising stars. With teams bringing both experience and fresh faces, with intense passion and huge expectations, this world cup of cricket will deliver unforgettable moments. Stay updated with match schedules, team line-ups, and exciting tournament insights on Xplooya. Your go-to hub for everything about the cricket world cup!

FAQ’s

Who has won the most Women’s Cricket World Cup?

Australia women’s national cricket team has won it seven times, the most.

Who is the greatest women’s cricketer?

Mithali Raj is the greatest. She scored the most runs in women’s cricket.

Why did the England cricket team win the 2019 Cricket World Cup?

They won because the final was tied, and after a Super Over, they hit more boundaries than the other team.