New Delhi: With the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 set to begin in India and Sri Lanka next week, the leaders of the eight teams got together on captains’ day in Bengaluru and Colombo to speak about preparations, expectations and what this edition could mean for women’s cricket.
Women’s World Cup 2025: Captains Ready for High-Stakes Showdown
The excitement is building as the Women’s World Cup 2025 draws closer, with captains from all eight participating nations voicing their ambitions and expectations ahead of the tournament.
For India, the tournament carries special significance, with home support adding both motivation and pressure. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the emotions of leading her side in a home World Cup.
“Home World Cup is always special as I mentioned. We are really working hard to improve our cricket, to improve day by day,” she said. “We have a lot of expectations, firstly from ourselves and then I know we are going to see a lot of fans in the stadium. They will cheer for us and I am sure we will give our best.”
Reflecting on her iconic 171* against Australia in the 2017 edition, Harmanpreet noted how that campaign changed the outlook of women’s cricket in India:
“That really changed a lot of things back home. And hopefully, this World Cup will create more good memories.”
Defending champions Australia, led by Alyssa Healy, arrive with confidence but remain wary of the competition.
“There are seven other teams that have a red hot opportunity of winning this World Cup,” Healy said. “It’s quite literally who can handle the pressure for the longest that is going to get the job done.”
England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, fresh off an unbeaten 122 in a warm-up against India, stressed the value of balance.
“We have got some highly skilled and talented people coming through that haven’t experienced World Cups. The youth on our side can be balanced out by some of the oldies. The team who can handle the pressure for the longest will come out on top.”
Veteran Sophie Devine of New Zealand praised the improved playing conditions, calling it a huge step forward for the women’s game. She also cautioned that flat tracks early on could eventually shift to spin-friendly surfaces, requiring adaptability from teams.
For Sri Lanka, skipper Chamari Athapaththu sees this as a golden opportunity:
“We never made the finals in the 50-over or T20 World Cup, so this is a really good opportunity. If we can bring our best cricket, we can make the semi-finals.”
Pakistan’s Fatima Sana believes familiarity with conditions in Colombo could benefit her side.
“The Sri Lankan conditions and Pakistan conditions are similar, so we know the exact conditions. We have a great advantage to play here and execute our skills.”
South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, motivated by past near-misses, said:
“We made the finals in ICC events in two different formats, hopefully we can take the learnings and go one step further this time.”
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana emphasized her team’s broader mission:
“This is a very good opportunity for all of us… nowadays people are showing more interest in women’s cricket in Bangladesh.”
With captains displaying confidence, determination, and belief in their squads, the stage is set for a fiercely contested World Cup — one that promises memorable performances, rising stars, and potentially history-making moments.
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