Five months after the two nations’ most intense military escalations, cricket’s governing body has confirmed that India and Pakistan will compete in the Round-Robins of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
According to the tournament’s schedule, which the ICC announced on Wednesday, the two cricket powerhouses will also face off in the group stage of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. The marquee event will take place on June 14.
Due to the two countries agreeing an ICC-brokered deal in December 2024 to face each other at neutral venues at upcoming ICC events, India will host the 50-over World Cup 2025 from September 30 through November 2. However, all of Pakistan’s games, including any appearances in the semifinals and final, will take place in Sri Lanka.
Before a ceasefire was reached on May 10, India and Pakistan were engaged in their worst standoff since 1999, which lasted for four days. There are conflicting accounts about the casualties, but more than 70 have been killed by missile, drone, and artillery fire on both sides.
Numerous Indian media outlets reported that the ICC has requested that the ICC avoid assigning them the same group as Pakistan in international competitions in response to the escalations.
However, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla stated that due to the ICC’s engagement, India will meet its western neighbor at ICC events even though it does not “want to play with Pakistan in bilateral series because of the government’s stand.”
According to Shukla, who was quoted by Indian media as saying, “The ICC is also aware, whatever is happening, they will look into it.”
Former and current cricketers from both nations posted messages on social media supporting their respective armed forces during the standoff, which heightened fears of an all-out war.
The ICC confirmed the schedule for the 50-over tournament on Monday, with the India-Pakistan round-robin stage match scheduled for Colombo, Sri Lanka, during the first week of the tournament, despite the severity of the situation.
The R Premadasa Stadium is most likely the location of Pakistan’s six matches, which will also take place in the capital of Sri Lanka.
The first knockout match will take place on October 29 in Colombo if Pakistan is selected to advance to the semifinals. The match will take place in Guwahati on the same day if they do not advance.
Similar decisions will be made regarding the final, with Bengaluru hosting the event if it is not hosted by Pakistan but Colombo getting the hosting rights if not.
The eight-team Women’s Cricket World Cup will begin on September 30 when hosts India take on Sri Lanka at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The other participating countries include Sri Lanka, Australia, England, Bangladesh, Bangladesh, New Zealand, South Africa, and Bangladesh.
In June of next year, India and Pakistan will play in the United Kingdom in their Group 1 match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
At 13:30 GMT, the game will take place at Birmingham’s Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
The tournament will take place in seven locations throughout England and Wales, one of which was New Zealand’s last victory in 2024.
In the first match of the tournament, England hosts Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on June 12 at 17:30 GMT.
There will be twelve teams, split into two groups.
At the conclusion of the qualifying rounds in 2026, Group 1 will consist of Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and two qualifiers.
England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, and two qualifiers make up Group 2.
The Oval Cricket Ground in London will host the semifinals on June 30 and July 2, while Lord’s Cricket Ground will host the final on July 5.
The last time India and Pakistan met was on October 6 at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Dubai, where they clinched a six-wicket victory.
Source: Aljazeera
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