The ICC has officially announced the schedule for the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, and it's making headlines for a major reason — India and Pakistan will face each other on October 5 in Colombo, marking their first clash since military tensions reshaped bilateral cricket relations.

This high-stakes tournament will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2, featuring 8 teams and 28 league-stage matches across five venues. However, due to political friction, all of Pakistan’s matches will be played in Sri Lanka, under a hybrid hosting model agreed upon by the BCCI and PCB.

Why Pakistan Won’t Play in India

Ongoing political and military tensions have forced a compromise — Pakistan’s women's team will not travel to India. Instead, all of their matches will take place at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium, including the much-anticipated encounter with Team India on October 5.

This arrangement echoes the format used earlier in 2025, when India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy and played their matches in Dubai instead.

Tournament Highlights & Key Fixtures

• Opening Match:
  India vs Sri Lanka — Sept 30, Bengaluru

• India vs Pakistan:
  Oct 5, Colombo

• Australia vs England:
  Oct 22, Indore

• Semi-finals:
  Oct 29 – Guwahati or Colombo
  Oct 30 – Bengaluru

• Final:
  Nov 2 – Bengaluru or Colombo
  (If Pakistan qualifies, Colombo will host the final)

India’s Group Stage Matches

• Sept 30: vs Sri Lanka – Bengaluru

• Oct 5: vs Pakistan – Colombo

• Oct 9: vs South Africa – Visakhapatnam

• Oct 12: vs Australia – Visakhapatnam

• Oct 19: vs England – Indore

• Oct 23: vs New Zealand – Guwahati

• Oct 26: vs Bangladesh – Bengaluru

What’s at Stake

This is the first Women’s ODI World Cup in India since 2013, and with cricketing giants like Australia, England, India, and Pakistan all in the mix — rivalries, politics, and performance will collide in a high-pressure tournament watched across the globe.