The wait is over. India have named their 15-member squad for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, with Harmanpreet Kaur entrusted with the captaincy and Smriti Mandhana serving as her vice-captain. The mega event kicks off on September 30, and India’s opening fixture will be against Sri Lanka.
This edition carries extra weight for the Women in Blue, as the tournament will unfold on home turf — a golden opportunity to chase the crown that has remained elusive so far. The closest India came was in 2017, when Mithali Raj’s team reached the final at Lord’s but fell short to England.
While some names were predictable, the selectors made a few bold decisions. One of the biggest talking points was the exclusion of Shafali Verma, who has endured a poor run of form. Since the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, she has managed just 277 runs in 14 innings and struggled again during the recent India A tour of Australia with scores of 3, 3 and 41. Instead, the in-form Pratika Rawal, with 703 runs in 14 ODIs, has been backed as the opening option.
A huge boost comes in the return of Renuka Singh Thakur, who has recovered from her injury layoff after last featuring in December 2024. Her record of 32 wickets in 17 ODIs makes her one of the most reliable fast-bowling choices. Meanwhile, Pooja Vastrakar hasn’t yet regained full fitness and misses out. Amanjot Kaur takes her place, having impressed with both bat and ball — 13 wickets (best of 4/31) and 98 runs in 9 ODIs highlight her value as a multi-dimensional cricketer.
The batting line-up has received further stability with the inclusion of Yastika Bhatia, who recently powered India A to a 2-1 victory in Australia with scores of 59, 66, and 42. Harleen Deol, a consistent presence since 2022 with 804 runs from 26 innings, also holds her spot.
In the bowling department, Sneh Rana remains a key pillar, having bagged 24 wickets in 14 matches since the previous World Cup. Her 15 wickets in the Sri Lanka tri-series cemented her reputation as India’s crisis-solver. Adding fresh energy is Kranti Gaud, who recently made waves with her career-best 6/52 against England. She already has 9 wickets from 4 ODIs and brings an aggressive edge to the attack.
Among the notable omissions from the squad which recently toured England, Tejal Hasabnis and Sayali Satghare moved to the stand-by list. India’s bench strength looks solid with Prema Rawal, Priya Mishra, Minnu Mani, and Uma Chetry also in reserves.
Before the big stage, India will fine-tune their combinations with a three-match ODI series against Australia starting September 14, followed by warm-up encounters against England (September 25) and New Zealand (September 27). From there, the hunt for glory begins at home — a chance to turn long-standing ambition into history.
India Squad for ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025:
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Richa Ghosh (WK), Kranti Gaud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (WK), Sneh Rana
Stand-bys: Tejal Hasabnis, Prema Rawal, Priya Mishra, Uma Chetry, Minnu Mani, Sayali Satghare
India’s Schedule for ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025:
30 September – India vs Sri Lanka – Bengaluru
5 October – India vs Pakistan – Colombo
9 October – India vs South Africa – Vizag
12 October – India vs Australia – Vizag
19 October – India vs England – Indore
23 October – India vs New Zealand – Guwahati
26 October – India vs Bangladesh – Bengaluru
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