High octane India, Pakistan clash in Colombo this October
Women's World Cup match will be held at the neutral venue as part of the hybrid model
Dubai: Clashes between India and Pakistan in cricket have become rare, making each encounter a major spectacle. Fans have reason to celebrate as the two rivals are set to meet in the Women’s ODI World Cup this October at a neutral venue—Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium.
The 13th edition of the tournament kicks off on September 30, with India taking on Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. India will then face Pakistan in Colombo and play Bangladesh on October 26, again in Bengaluru.
Defending champions Australia begin their campaign on October 1 against New Zealand at Indore’s Holkar Stadium. They will face Pakistan next in Colombo, before clashing with England in a rematch of the previous final on October 22 in Indore.
Following a BCCI-PCB hybrid hosting agreement, Pakistan will play all their matches in Colombo due to ongoing political tensions. Their schedule includes matches against Bangladesh (October 2), England (October 15), New Zealand (October 18), South Africa (October 21), and Sri Lanka (October 24).
England’s key fixtures include matches against South Africa in Bengaluru (October 3), Sri Lanka (October 11), and New Zealand in Guwahati (October 26). Bangladesh, starting against Pakistan, will play three additional matches in Visakhapatnam and face Sri Lanka in Colombo on October 20. South Africa will look to challenge New Zealand (October 6) and Australia (October 25) in Indore.
The World Cup will run from September 30 to November 2 across five venues in India and Sri Lanka: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru), ACA Stadium (Guwahati), Holkar Stadium (Indore), ACA-VDCA Stadium (Visakhapatnam), and R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo).
The eight competing teams are: India, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Semi-finals will be held on October 29 and 30 in Guwahati/Colombo and Bengaluru, respectively. The final will take place on November 2 in either Bengaluru or Colombo, depending on the teams involved. Pakistan’s qualification will influence venue selection for both the semi-final and final, as the team is restricted to playing at neutral venues.
Pakistan qualified for the tournament after an unbeaten run in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers in April.
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