India’s long quest for a maiden ICC Women’s World Cup crown takes center stage again as the 13th edition of the marquee 50-over tournament begins on 30 September 2025. With the event being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 30 September to 2 November, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Harmanpreet Kaur and her side.
Former Australia skipper and two-time World Cup winner Meg Lanning, having mastered the art of thriving under pressure at global tournaments, believes India’s opening clash against Sri Lanka in Guwahati could prove decisive in setting the tone for their campaign.
Speaking to Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review, Lanning was emphatic about the magnitude of India’s opener at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on 30 September from 3 PM IST. “I think it’s a crucial game for them because it can almost release the pressure a little bit,” she said. “If they can play a good, solid game up front, get the win on the board, then I think that might just calm them down a little bit. Because yeah, home World Cups, there’ll obviously be a lot of pressure and expectation on them to do well.”
Having experienced the weight of expectations while leading Australia to World Cup glory in 2022 and being a part of it as a player in 2013, Lanning knows the importance of a strong beginning. She stressed that a positive result in the opening contest can leave India better positioned to cope with pressure games later in the tournament. “If they’re able to set up their tournament really nicely by putting in a solid performance up front, then it makes it easier towards the back end,” she reflected.
Both India and Sri Lanka enter the opening clash boasting deeply skilled spin arsenals, something that Lanning believes will be a defining factor in the tournament. For India, ICC No. 7-ranked ODI bowler Deepti Sharma leads the department, supported by Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav and exciting youngster Sree Charani.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are anchored by the guile of Inoka Ranaweera, complemented by captain Chamari Athapaththu’s off-spin, Sugandika Dasanayaka Kumari’s left-arm variety, and valuable all-round options in Dewmi Vihanga and Kavisha Dilhari. “Both sides have got some very skilful bowlers in their spin attacks and that could play a really crucial role, not only in the first game but also throughout the tournament,” Lanning observed.
India’s journey is layered with history and expectation. This will be the fourth time the Women’s World Cup is staged in India, after 1978, 1997 and 2013. While they are yet to lift the trophy, India have twice fallen agonizingly short, finishing runners-up in 2005 and again in 2017. With the current crop led by Harmanpreet Kaur and featuring the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh, the hunger for a breakthrough triumph burns brighter than ever.
“The first game of the World Cup and your home World Cup as well for India is always a really big and special moment,” Lanning acknowledged. “There’s a really big build-up, so both sides will be looking to get off to a good start.”
With only four semi-final spots up for grabs among the eight competing nations, Lanning highlighted the need for India to prioritise results over perfection during the group stages. “The group stages at World Cups are just about qualifying for the semis, and so you don’t need to play your best cricket, but you do need to win,” she explained. “The key for the sides is to just be able to fight their way through.”
Drawing on her own experiences, she pointed out that not every victory has to be dominant. “I think in every World Cup that I’ve played there was a game or two where we had to scrape our way through and get the win. It certainly wasn’t pretty, but if you can actually just get those wins on board and then sort of try and get yourself together for the back end of the tournament, then that’s how you win 50-over World Cups.”
India’s preparations have faced hurdles. Their most recent ODI series ended in heartbreak against Australia, where, despite a spirited chase of a record 413 in the Delhi decider on 20 September, they fell 43 runs short. Harmanpreet’s squad will be looking to turn those lessons into resilience as they now step into a home World Cup.
Australia, under Alyssa Healy, begin their campaign a day later in Indore against Sophie Devine’s New Zealand, adding early intrigue to the competition. With the defending champions and other strong contenders chasing glory, Lanning’s words are a timely reminder that steady progression, strategic wins and composure in crunch moments are the hallmarks of a title-winning campaign.
For India, the blueprint is clear: start strong, manage expectations, trust in their spinners, believe in themselves, and collect early points. As they open against Sri Lanka on 30 September, thousands of fans at Guwahati and millions at home will be hoping that this campaign finally marks the arrival of a historic first Women’s World Cup trophy for India.
(Quotes sourced from ICC Official Press Release)
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