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2025 Women's Cricket World Cup - South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first against India. (icc-cricket.com)

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India holds third position with two wins from two matches, while South Africa stands fifth with one win and one loss. 

Women's Cricket World Cup: India seizes early advantage against South Africa

COLOMBO: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her Pakistan counterpart Fatima Sana did not shake hands at the toss of Sunday&#39;s Women&#39;s World Cup cricket match, mirroring the actions of their men&#39;s teams.&nbsp;Sana won the toss and chose to field at Colombo&#39;s R. Premadasa Stadium, where there were also no formal greetings between the players of both teams before the national anthems.&nbsp;The neighbors faced off three times at the recent men&#39;s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates and did not shake hands before or after.&nbsp;The Asia Cup, which concluded last Sunday with India beating their rivals, was notable for ill-feeling between the two teams and a series of on-field flashpoints.&nbsp;The tournament in the UAE was the first time the nuclear-armed neighbors had met since a deadly border conflict between them in May.&nbsp;India and Sri Lanka are co-hosting the Women&#39;s World Cup.&nbsp;As part of a compromise deal, Pakistan will play all their matches, including Sunday&#39;s group match in Sri Lanka, rather than travel to India.&nbsp;India and Pakistan only meet in cricket in international tournaments and on neutral territory. India were 86-2 after 20 overs.

Women's cricket World Cup, ICC, Pakistan vs India

Pakistan win the toss, opt to field first. India are 86-2 after 20 overs.

No handshakes again as India, Pakistan meet at Women's World Cup

Syed Ahmed Raza

COLOMBO: Pakistan will face traditional rivals India in their ICC Women&rsquo;s World Cup 2025 fixture at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, in what promises to be one of the tournament&rsquo;s most anticipated encounters. The match will start at 2:30 PM.&nbsp;Pakistan are seeking a strong comeback after their opening match defeat to Bangladesh, while India began their campaign with a win over Sri Lanka.&nbsp;For Pakistan, the contest provides an opportunity to register a historic first victory over India in the 50-over format and boost their hopes of progressing further in the tournament.&nbsp;The match comes amid heightened political tensions between the two countries. Officials indicated that, as seen during the men&rsquo;s Asia Cup last month, players may not exchange customary handshakes before or after the game.&nbsp;Both sides are under pressure, with India aiming to move closer to a semifinal spot and Pakistan determined to turn the tide against their arch-rivals in Colombo.&nbsp;Likely XIs&nbsp;Pakistan: Muneeba Ali, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Amin, Rameen Shamim, Aliya Riaz, Sidra Nawaz, Fatima Sana (C), Natalia Pervaiz, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal.&nbsp;India: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud and Shree Charani.

Pakistan eye breakthrough against India in Women’s World Cup clash

GUWAHATI: England flexed their muscles in their Women&#39;s World Cup opener with a ruthless 10-wicket demolition of South Africa in Guwahati on Friday. After bowling out the Proteas for a paltry 69 in just 20.4 overs, England&#39;s openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones made light work of the chase, cantering home in 14.1 overs. Electing to bowl first, England rolled the dice early by tossing the new ball to spin, a move captains often shy away from in the power play. But left-arm tweaker Linsey Smith turned out to be the ace up their sleeve, exploiting a tacky surface that had South Africa groping in the dark. &quot;To get that start was very special. I only found out yesterday that I was opening the bowling and I was excited for the challenge. The conditions suited me well,&quot; said Smith. It was just Smith&#39;s fifth ODI, but the 30-year-old is no stranger to international cricket, having been part of England&#39;s T20 side since 2018. Now a permanent fixture in the 50-over team, her willingness to bowl in the danger zone of the power play could be a trump card for England going forward in this campaign. Smith struck in each of her first three overs and was unlucky not to bag a fourth when a stumping chance off Sinalo Jafta went begging. Jafta clung on grimly for 22, the lone South African to reach double figures in a sorry tale of collapse. It was the Proteas&#39; third lowest total in ODIs and their worst against England. The chase was little more than a formality, though Jones survived a let-off on 31 when Masabata Klaas spilled a return catch. She finished unbeaten on 40 with Beaumont on 21 not out. &quot;Not the way we wanted to start the tournament. We&#39;ve shown resilience in the past and we&#39;ll bounce back,&quot; South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt insisted as her batters were left searching for answers. England&#39;s dominance was such that Heather Knight, marking her 150th ODI appearance wasn&#39;t required to bat or bowl as her team-mates were so dominant against South Africa. She became only the second player from England to feature in 150 women&#39;s ODIs. The emphatic win vaulted England to the top of the points table with all eight teams now having played one game each.

South Africa's Anneke Bosch walks off the field after losing her wicket as England's players celebrate during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup match between England and South Africa in Guwahati, India, Tuesday, October 3, 2025. (AP)

England dominated South Africa by 10 wickets in their Women’s World Cup opener, with Linsey Smith’s spin bowling instrumental in bowling out the Proteas for 69. Openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones completed an easy chase.

England thrash South Africa by 10 wickets at Women's World Cup

COLOMBO: Bangladesh spun out Pakistan for 129 and notched a memorable seven-wicket victory at the Women&rsquo;s Cricket World Cup on Thursday. Rubya Haider made a dream ODI debut for Bangladesh, in the World Cup no less, when her unbeaten 54 with eight fours anchored their chase to 131-3 in 31.3 overs for only their second victory in tournament history. Bangladesh&#39;s only previous win was also against Pakistan at the last World Cup in 2022 in New Zealand. Rubya used her feet well against the Pakistan spinners. Fast bowler Diana Beg didn&rsquo;t allow Bangladesh to score freely with the new ball and trapped Fargana Hoque lbw in her second over. Rameen Shamim also claimed Sharmin Akhter leg before in the 12th over. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/ff959fc6-b7f0-4718-ac1a-5339a9d69c1d-AP25275430783789.jpg" alt="Bangladesh's Shorna Akter, center, celebrates the wicket of Pakistan's Natalia Parvaiz during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, October 2, 2025. (AP)" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Bangladesh&#39;s Shorna Akter, center, celebrates the wicket of Pakistan&#39;s Natalia Parvaiz during the ICC Women&#39;s Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, October 2, 2025. (AP)</figcaption></figure> But Rubya dominated the spinners with impeccable drives and reverse sweeps. She shared 62 runs with captain Nigar Sultana (23) and sealed the win with Sobhana Mostary, who was 24 not out, all from boundaries in 19 balls. On a perfect batting pitch, Pakistan was squeezed by Bangladesh&#39;s five spinners, who combined for eight wickets. The 20-year-old fast bowler Marufa Akter swung the new ball well and clean-bowled Omaima Sohail and in-form batter Sidra Amin without scoring in her first over. Amin, who scored back-to-back ODI centuries against South Africa at home, was out for a golden duck for the first time in her ODI career when she chopped on. Pakistan never recovered from those two early jolts. Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter took 2-19 and the 18-year-old Shorna Akter ran through the tail and took career-best figures of 3-5 in 3.3 overs. Shorna bowled three successive maiden overs before the bizarre dismissal of Nashra Sandhu, who got hit wicket when she left the ball but struck the stumps as she tried to bring her bat down. Shamim was the top scorer with 23 as Pakistan was bowled out in 38.3 overs. Pakistan will play all seven of its group games in Colombo. A semifinal and the final will also take place in the Sri Lanka capital if Pakistan make it that far.

Bangladesh's Marufa Akter celebrates the wicket of Pakistan's Omaima Sohail during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP)

Bangladesh secured a seven-wicket victory over Pakistan at the Women’s Cricket World Cup, powered by Rubya Haider’s unbeaten 54 and a strong spin bowling performance that dismantled Pakistan’s lineup.

Bangladesh spin out Pakistan for 129 at Women's Cricket World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first against Bangladesh in the ICC Women&#39;s Cricket World Cup 2025 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday. <div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1973679472093364680&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=f3721a91e4f5d15569ad3c1efaa6ac059cb94cfd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 628px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1973679472093364680"></iframe></div></div></div> The Green Shirts had a shaky start to their batting, losing Sidra Amin and Omaima Sohail in the first over. Both departed for a first-ball duck. Muneeba Ali and Rameen Shamim rebuilt the innings, taking Pakistan to 41 after 10 overs. The two sides are meeting for the first time since their World Cup qualifiers encounter in April, where Pakistan secured a victory.&nbsp;Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, speaking at a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, expressed confidence in her side&rsquo;s preparations and team balance, particularly in spin-friendly Sri Lankan conditions.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have world-class spinners, and our team has played well in similar conditions. We&rsquo;ll look to use that to our advantage,&rdquo; Fatima said. She also emphasized the importance of momentum carried forward from the qualifiers and highlighted the team&rsquo;s depth.&nbsp;&ldquo;All-rounders are the backbone of a team. We&rsquo;ve got Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Natalia Pervaiz and myself, all capable of contributing in multiple departments,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;With experienced batters Sidra Amin and Aliya Riaz familiar with the conditions, and a pace duo of Diana Baig and Fatima herself, Pakistan will look to control the game through the middle overs. The team has also been working on utilizing reverse swing, which could play a role under Sri Lankan conditions.&nbsp;&ldquo;Captaincy is a challenge, especially at the World Cup level, but I&rsquo;m confident in the plans we&rsquo;ve made. We just need to stay calm and execute,&rdquo; Fatima said.&nbsp;Australia ease past New ZealandMeanwhile, in the second match of the tournament, defending champions Australia sent a strong message with a commanding 89-run victory over New Zealand in Indore.&nbsp;All-rounder Ashleigh Gardner powered Australia with a blistering 115 off 83 balls, lifting her team from 128-5 to a daunting 326. Her innings featured 16 boundaries and a six, blending elegance with power.&nbsp;&ldquo;It was special. We lost quick wickets, but we wanted to keep the intent high, and it paid off,&rdquo; Gardner said post-match.&nbsp;New Zealand&rsquo;s response faltered early, with both openers dismissed for ducks, including a diamond duck for Georgia Plimmer. Skipper Sophie Devine&rsquo;s fighting 111 was the only highlight in an otherwise one-sided affair, as Australia&rsquo;s sharp fielding and bowling wrapped up the match clinically.&nbsp;Devine, who crossed 4,000 ODI runs during her innings, admitted: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s bittersweet. I&rsquo;d trade it all for a win.&rdquo;&nbsp;Leg-spinner Amelia Kerr also reached a milestone with her 100th ODI wicket, finishing with impressive figures alongside her sister Jess Kerr.

Fatima Sana, Nigar Sultana, Pakistan vs Bangladesh

Muniba, Rameen rebuild the innings after Pakistan lose two wickets in the first over.

Pakistan Women opt to bat against Bangladesh in World Cup opener

NEW DELHI: Women&#39;s cricket is set to take a giant leap as the World Cup begins Tuesday, with stars from eight nations aiming to break new ground both on and off the field.&nbsp;The tournament opens in Guwahati with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka ushering in what many believe could be a transformative moment for the women&#39;s game.&nbsp;The 13th edition of the tournament will have Pakistan playing all their matches in Colombo as part of a compromise deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments.&nbsp;The 50-over showcase boasts an unprecedented total prize purse of $13.88 million, surpassing even the $10 million awarded in the men&#39;s World Cup two years earlier.&nbsp;&quot;You do get the feeling this could be a seismic moment for the women&#39;s game,&quot; England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said on the International Cricket Council website.&nbsp;&quot;I think we&#39;ll all look back on our careers when we&#39;re retired and mark the World Cup in India as a game-changer.&quot;&nbsp;Sciver-Brunt is seeking a fifth title for England, who were last winners in 2017 and lost in the final in 2022.&nbsp;Defending champions Australia, who have won a record seven Women&#39;s World Cups, enter as favorites but expect stiff competition, said captain Alyssa Healy.&nbsp;&quot;This is going to be the toughest World Cup we&#39;ve ever been a part of,&quot; said Healy.&nbsp;&quot;Australia has a rich history in this format and in World Cups, but I think every single team is going to be tough to beat.&quot;&nbsp;India, twice runners-up but never champions, are hunting an elusive maiden title in front of a cricket-obsessed home audience in the country of 1.4 billion people. Gender parityVictory could bring millions of new fans to the sport, further elevating its prominence.&nbsp;The past decade has seen women&#39;s cricket surge in talent and visibility.&nbsp;Australia&#39;s women&#39;s Big Bash League, launched in 2015, paved the way before a financial windfall arrived with India&#39;s Women&#39;s Premier League (WPL).&nbsp;Staged first in 2023, the WPL delivered the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) roughly $700 million in franchise and media rights alone.&nbsp;India&#39;s cricketing stars, including Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, have become household names, attracting major sponsorships and wide media coverage.&nbsp;A move toward gender parity was championed by ICC chairman Jay Shah, who introduced equal match fees for women and men &mdash; a shift hailed as transformative by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.&nbsp;&quot;You cannot make out whether the boys are playing or girls,&quot; Saikia told AFP.&nbsp;&quot;The top-class skill and the technique will attract eyeballs on television and get the game more fans. Expect packed stadiums at centres across India,&quot; he added.&nbsp;On the pitch, this World Cup could witness a run-fest.&nbsp;Since 2022, participating teams have breached the 300-run mark 34 times, with Australia and India each surpassing 400 once.&nbsp;Young Indian fast bowler Kranti Goud, New Zealand batter Georgia Plimmer, England quick Lauren Bell and South African all-rounder Annerie Dercksen are tipped as players to watch.&nbsp;India are hosting the Women&#39;s ODI World Cup for the fourth time after 1978, 1997 and 2013.&nbsp;The final will be played on November 2 either in Mumbai or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan go all the way.

The tournament opens in Guwahati with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka ushering in what many believe could be a transformative moment for the women's game.

Women's cricket set for 'seismic' breakthrough at World Cup

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced an all-female match official panel for the upcoming Women&#39;s World Cup.&nbsp;The cricket governing body said the first-of-its-kind move was aimed at elevating and empowering women in cricket.&nbsp;&ldquo;While the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the two recent ICC Women&#39;s T20 World Cups featured all-female match official panels, this is the first time in the&nbsp;history of the Women&#39;s World Cup&nbsp;the feat will be achieved,&rdquo; the cricket board said.&nbsp;Match official panelThe group of 14 umpires includes Claire Polosak, Jacquline Williams, and Sue Redfern. This trio will be appearing at their third Women&#39;s World Cup. Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton will be at their second World Cup. They officiated when Australia won their record seventh title in New Zealand in 2022.&nbsp;The match referee panel features four officials: Trudy Anderson, Shandr&eacute; Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michelle Pereira. They bring varied experience to the 13th edition of the Women&#39;s World Cup. The tournament will be held in India and Sri Lanka from September 30.&nbsp;ICC Chairman Jay Shah called the all-female panel a historic moment for women&rsquo;s cricket. He believes it will inspire many more success stories in the future. &ldquo;This marks a defining moment in the journey of women&rsquo;s cricket,&quot; Shah said. &quot;We hope it will pave the way for many more trailblazing stories across all facets of the sport.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Role models for future generations&quot;He added that this move is more than symbolic. &ldquo;It is about visibility, opportunity, and creating meaningful role models who can inspire future generations.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;By showcasing officiating excellence on the global stage, we want to spark aspiration. We want to show that leadership and impact in cricket know no gender.&quot;&nbsp;&ldquo;We are proud to mark a new chapter in the growth of the women&rsquo;s game,&rdquo; Shah said. &ldquo;This initiative will go beyond this tournament. It will encourage more women around the world to take up officiating. And it will help redefine what&rsquo;s possible in cricket.&rdquo;

Articles tagged with "Women's Cricket World Cup 2025"

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Bangladesh spin out Pakistan for 129 at Women's Cricket World Cup

Pakistan Women opt to bat against Bangladesh in World Cup opener

Women's cricket set for 'seismic' breakthrough at World Cup

ICC announces all-female match official panel for CWC25

Women's Cricket World Cup: India seizes early advantage against South Africa