Belief building as India eye World Cup success on home soil

Despite mixed results in their warm-up games, India believe they will carry confidence into the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup.

The hosts meet Sri Lanka in the opening match at Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati in northeast India on Tuesday.

The Proteas open their group campaign against England at the same venue on Friday.

India are hungry to score the proud cricketing nation a maiden Women’s World Cup title. They can take confidence into their first tournament showdown on the back of an impressive four-wicket win over fellow Cup contenders New Zealand in their final warm-up in Bengalaru on Thursday.

Arundhati Reddy (2/42 off 9 overs) and Harleen Deol (74 off 79 balls) were two of India’s key contributors against the White Ferns. The pair said the result lifted the side’s belief ahead of their tournament opener.

“We wanted to take the game deep and we wanted to get that confidence going for the World Cup,” Deol told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Harleen scored 10 boundaries as she helped her side make a successful chase of New Zealand’s 232/8 with nearly 10 overs to spare.

After an injury scare only days earlier, Reddy not only played but bowled a notable nine overs, taking 2/42.

“Good match experience going into the World Cup,” Reddy told the BCCI. “We got good game time. As a team, we feel really prepared and really looking forward to playing the World Cup.”

After Tuesday’s opener, India face Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on October 5 in what should be a blockbuster.

India last hosted the tournament in 2013 and will be firmly focused on setting up a strong run with some early victories.

They are the third-ranked nation in ODIs, behind Australia (first) and England (second).

Australia begin their tournament against New Zealand in Indore on Wednesday, while Pakistan meet Bangladesh in Colombo on Tuesday.

ICC