In a development that could shape one of the most anticipated matches of the year, the Government of India has formally granted clearance for India to face Pakistan in the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, scheduled from 30 September to 2 November. The clarification comes amidst heightened political sensitivities and intense speculation around whether the arch-rivals would meet on the global stage.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has issued a detailed statement, underlining a long-standing distinction: while bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan remain suspended, participation in multilateral tournaments, where several nations compete under international governance, will continue. This timely clarification assures that the Indian women’s team will square off against Pakistan during the World Cup, much to the relief of both organisers and cricket fans worldwide.
The ministry’s statement leaves no ambiguity:
- No bilateral series between India and Pakistan, either home or away.
- Permitted participation in multilateral events staged under the aegis of bodies like the ICC and the Asian Cricket Council.
- Mutual access for athletes, Pakistani players can feature in World Cups and tournaments hosted by India, ensuring a level playing field within global structures.
This is a reiteration of what the cricketing fraternity had long recognised as India’s unwritten policy, but the formal confirmation just weeks before two marquee contests, the men’s Asia Cup and the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 in September, provides much-needed clarity.
Interestingly, the ministry stopped short of explaining whether Indian athletes would travel for multilateral events hosted in Pakistan. That silence, insiders suggest, points to a continuation of the “hybrid model” that saw India’s Champions Trophy matches in 2025 shifted to Dubai instead of Lahore.
For the women’s World Cup, the confirmation is particularly significant. In recent years, India and Pakistan’s women’s teams have had few opportunities to meet outside ICC events, but every encounter has carried an electric edge. Their last World Cup clash, held under packed stands and tight security, drew record viewership figures, emphasising how these contests transcend cricket.
The Indian women’s side, led by a new generation of stars making their mark post-Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, is keen to assert dominance in this edition of the tournament. Pakistan, meanwhile, are entering the event with a fresh focus on youth and strategy, determined to shed their underdog tag. The fiery contest promises not just rivalry, but also a platform to showcase the growth of women’s cricket in South Asia.
With the World Cup scheduled across multiple Indian cities, organisers have already begun security assessments and logistical planning to ensure the India-Pakistan fixture proceeds smoothly. Fans, meanwhile, are circling their calendars for what could be the defining group-stage encounter of the tournament.
This government green light comes against the backdrop of strained bilateral relations and mounting calls from certain groups to suspend all sporting contact. The memory of abandoned matches during July’s World Championship of Legends, a veterans’ tournament where encounters between Indian and Pakistani teams were forfeited, is still fresh.
Against this tense backdrop, the decision to separate bilateral disputes from multilateral sporting obligations demonstrates India’s intent to uphold global commitments while maintaining its domestic stance. Cricket, and particularly women’s cricket, is set to be the beneficiary of this policy clarity.
For players, the news shifts focus back where it belongs: on the field. With less than six weeks before the World Cup begins, the Indian women’s team now knows it has the political and administrative backing to take on their fiercest rivals under the ICC’s banner.
The India-Pakistan clash at this World Cup will likely carry all the elements that have defined one of cricket’s greatest rivalries: national pride, global spotlight, and the unique intensity that only these contests offer. But beyond the rivalry lies an opportunity to inspire young girls across both nations to pick up the bat and ball, pushing women’s cricket deeper into mainstream sporting consciousness.
As the countdown begins, the stage is set: two teams, one rivalry, one world stage. The cricketing world will watch with bated breath as India and Pakistan’s women take centre stage in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025.
Loves all things female cricket