All eyes are on India as it prepares to host the ICC Women’s Cricket ODI World Cup later this year. The tournament’s venues have been shortlisted, with Indore, Raipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Visakhapatnam, and Mullanpur set to host the matches, including the final at Mullanpur. The 8-team tournament, for which six teams have been finalized and two will be finalized through the ICC World Cup qualifier culminating on April 19 in Pakistan, will tentatively take place between September 29 and October 26.
Interestingly, four out of the five venues selected for the tournament have no prior experience in hosting women’s international matches. The Holkar Stadium in Indore, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, and Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram are all set to make their debut in women’s international cricket.
In stark contrast, the ACA-VDCA Visakhapatnam Stadium is the only venue with a notable record, having hosted 11 women’s international matches, comprising 6 T20Is and 5 ODIs.
India’s hosting of the 2025 ODI World Cup marks the fourth time the country will be organizing the prestigious tournament. Previously, India hosted the ODI World Cup in 1978, 1997, and 2013.
The 1978 edition was held across four cities, with matches played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur, Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, and Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna.
In contrast, the 1997 World Cup was spread across 25 cricket grounds in various cities, including Kolkata, Agra, Mysore, Delhi, Lucknow, Chandigarh, and Mumbai, with the final taking place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The 2013 edition, on the other hand, featured five cricket stadiums, with three in Mumbai and two in Cuttack, and the final was played at the Brabourne Stadium.
India has also hosted the 2016 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, with matches held in Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Dharamshala, Mohali, Nagpur and Kolkata.
The upcoming 2025 edition marks the thirteenth installment of the Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup. Prior to this, the tournament has been hosted by various nations, including England, India, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Over the years, iconic venues such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Lord’s, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, SuperSport Park, Hagley Oval, and Manuka Oval among others have played host to the prestigious event.
Now, the five venues in India – Indore, Raipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Visakhapatnam, and Mullanpur are set to join this esteemed list, etching their names in the history of the Women’s Cricket World Cup with four of them making their debuts on the world stage.
Interestingly, this is not the first time new venues are hosting their maiden international women’s matches. Bert Sutcliffe Oval, New Zealand, for instance, also hosted its first women’s international match in 2000, which was the opening game of the Women’s World Cup between Australia and New Zealand. Notably the stadium went on to host the final of the same team, again featuring the same two teams.
However, the BCCI’s decision to host matches in venues without prior international experience has drawn criticism from audiences and viewers. Many have pointed out that established cricketing nations like England, Australia, and New Zealand have hosted their World Cup finals at iconic venues like Lord’s, the MCG, and Hagley Oval.
With India still having time to reassess, some argue that matches should have been allocated to cities like Delhi and Bengaluru, which have historically supported women’s cricket. This, they believe, would have provided a platform for the sport to grow. Instead, the selected venues, which rarely host even men’s bilateral matches, seem unlikely to foster growth, leaving many questioning the BCCI’s decision.
Despite the controversy surrounding the venue selection, the tournament promises to deliver exciting cricket, showcasing the skills of talented players from around the world. As the host nation, India’s passionate fans will be eager to cheer on their team and hopefully witness them lift their maiden trophy.
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