Groundsmen prepare the pitch ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 match between India and Sri Lanka, at ACA Stadium, Barsapara, in Guwahati, Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Women’s ODI World Cup Opening Ceremony in Guwahati to Pay Tribute to Zubeen Garg
GUWAHATI: The opening ceremony for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in Guwahati has been scaled down as Assam mourns the passing of legendary singer-composer Zubeen Garg, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed on Friday (September 26, 2025).
The inaugural match between co-hosts India and Sri Lanka will be held on September 30 at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, one of five venues for the tournament, which will run until November 2. The other host cities are Indore, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Colombo.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Assam Cricket Association Secretary Tridib Konwar, Saikia said the BCCI had originally planned a grand opening on September 19 but opted for a solemn 40-minute ceremony in tribute to Garg, who passed away in Singapore under mysterious circumstances.
Renowned playback singer Shreya Ghosal will perform during the break of the inaugural match as part of the homage. Additionally, the ACA has purchased 5,000 tickets at ₹100 each, which will be distributed to fans on a first-come-first-serve basis at the Guwahati Sports Association office in the Nehru Stadium complex on September 29.
Saikia highlighted the tournament’s wider goal of promoting women’s cricket in smaller cities and remote areas of the northeast, saying, “The World Cup, the biggest international cricket tournament to be held in Guwahati, is expected to generate interest in cricket among girls across the region. Popularising the game in non-tier 1 cities is a key motive behind BCCI’s venue choices.”
The BCCI has also invited all former Indian women’s cricket captains since 1975 to attend the inaugural match, recognizing their contributions in encouraging young girls to take up the sport professionally. Confirmed participants include Shubhangi Kulkarni, Nilima Jogalekar, Sandhya Agarwal, Mamatha Maben, Shantha Rangaswamy, Purnima Rau, Chandrakanta Kaul, Anju Jain, Pramila Bhatt, Anjum Chopra, and Mithali Raj.
Former players from West Bengal, Rumeli Dhar and Jhulan Goswami, are expected to attend one of the four other matches in Guwahati. Neetu David, the second Indian woman cricketer inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame after Diana Edulji, will also be felicitated during the opening game.
The ceremony aims to strike a balance between celebration and remembrance, marking the start of the World Cup while honoring the late Zubeen Garg.
Hi, I’m Punith, the founder of IPLMatchUpdates.in. I’ve been following and analyzing IPL and international cricket for over a decade, and my goal is to bring fans accurate news, live updates, and detailed match insights straight from the world of cricket.
Cricket isn’t just a sport to me — it’s a passion. When I’m not writing or sharing updates, you’ll find me analyzing match strategies, reviewing player performances, or debating cricket stats with fellow fans.
Through IPLMatchUpdates.in, I aim to make every cricket lover feel closer to the game we all love.
