In a decision laden with both sporting and political significance, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that India and Pakistan will face off in the round-robin stage of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 on October 5. The high-profile clash will be hosted in Colombo, Sri Lanka due to ongoing diplomatic strains between the two South Asian nations.
The match comes just five months after the most severe military escalations between India and Pakistan since the Kargil conflict in 1999. The four-day standoff, which ended in a ceasefire on May 10, claimed more than 70 lives amid cross-border artillery, missile, and drone attacks. While both sides have made conflicting claims about the extent of the casualties, the impact on diplomatic ties has been unmistakable.
Against this volatile backdrop, the ICC, which announced the full schedule on Wednesday, emphasized the importance of maintaining sporting continuity. Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup will be entirely based in Sri Lanka, following a December 2024 ICC-brokered agreement between the two cricket boards. Under the deal, all future ICC encounters between the two nations will be hosted at neutral venues.
India will host the broader 50-over Women’s World Cup from September 30 to November 2. However, none of Pakistan’s seven matches—including potential knockout games—will be held on Indian soil. All of their fixtures, including the much-anticipated clash against India, are slated for the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Adding to the intensity, the arch-rivals are also set to lock horns in the group stage of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled for June 14. While tensions have made bilateral cricket nearly impossible, ICC events continue to provide a rare sporting link between the nations.
Speaking to the media, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla clarified, “We don’t want to play with Pakistan in bilateral series because of the government’s stand. But at ICC events, we will play, as per the ICC’s framework.”
The announcement puts to rest months of speculation over whether the two sides would meet at all, especially in light of nationalist fervor stirred by recent events. Social media had witnessed an outpouring of patriotic messages from cricketers during the conflict, further fueling the stakes around this match.