Pakistan team won’t travel to India for ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025

Dubai: Pakistan have booked their place in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, to be held in India later this year, but they won’t be playing on Indian soil. Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, according to reports, has confirmed that the team will play its matches at a neutral venue.

India and Pakistan had previously agreed to a hybrid model after the Indian team refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

“Everything will happen according to the agreement. India will decide where the match will happen because they are the hosts. Wherever they decide, our team will go and play there. But the Pakistan team won’t travel to India. Since there is an agreement, it has to be adhered to,” Naqvi told reporters at Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground, after Pakistan women defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets to complete an unbeaten qualifying campaign.

Neutral venue across events

“Pakistan’s participation in the next global competition would adhere to the Hybrid Formula [the same structure decided upon prior to the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025],” Naqvi was quoted as saying by ARY News. “Pakistan will not travel to India as this formula has already been agreed upon.”

According to the agreement, which began with the Champions Trophy, both the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, to be hosted by India, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will follow the same pattern.

The 2026 edition might not see significant disruption, as Pakistan could play all their matches in Sri Lanka — including the marquee India-Pakistan clash.

The PCB has also been awarded hosting rights for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, where neutral venue arrangements will similarly apply.

“India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue,” said a statement from the ICC Board, ending a monthlong deadlock.

Pakistan, Bangladesh qualify

Pakistan’s women’s team secured their berth in the tournament by remaining unbeaten in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers. They hosted the qualifiers and won all five matches to top the standings. Bangladesh became the second team to qualify, ending the hopes of Ireland, Scotland, the West Indies and Thailand.

India (hosts), England, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka had already qualified for the tournament, which will run from September 26 to November 2.