Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her excitement ahead of the ICC ODI Women’s World Cup 2025, saying that leading her nation in the tournament is a truly special moment. The captains of all teams taking part in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 attended a special Captains’ Day event, held simultaneously in Bengaluru and Colombo.
They shared their enthusiasm and confidence with just four days remaining before the tournament begins. The competition will be held from September 30 to November 2, with India scheduled to face Sri Lanka in the opening match at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
“Representing your country is always a special moment for any player. But leading your country in an ODI World Cup is even more special for me. Every team in this World Cup has an equal chance to win, which shows how much we have raised the standard of women’s cricket,” Harmanpreet Kaur told the media.
“We’ve also started seeing packed stadiums, which is something we really enjoy because we’ve never seen that before. A home World Cup is always special, and there are a lot of expectations from us. We’re going to see a lot of fans in the stadium cheering for us, and I’m sure we’ll give our best,” she added.
Harmanpreet Kaur ranks as the ninth-highest run-scorer in World Cup history, amassing 876 runs across 26 matches and 22 innings at an average of 51.52. Her record includes three centuries and four half-centuries, with her highest score being an unbeaten 171*.
Team India Enters World Cup After Tough Prep, Losing To Australia And England
Team India enters the World Cup after a 1-2 home series defeat against Australia and a disappointing start to their preparations, including a 152-run loss to England in a warm-up match in Bengaluru on Thursday. Since their group-stage exit in the 2022 World Cup, India has played 38 ODIs, winning 25, losing 12, and drawing one.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu is keen to harness the energy and support of the home crowd during the World Cup. She recalled the lively atmosphere at the Asia Cup and hopes to experience similar encouragement in the upcoming tournament.
“We are playing on our home soil, and I know many Sri Lankans will be there to support us. We need that energy and encouragement, just like we experienced during the Asia Cup, where there were many spectators,” Chamari Athapaththu said.
“I hope to see the same vibrant atmosphere in the stadiums during our World Cup matches. We want to enjoy the moment, taking it one game at a time. We do not want to put too much pressure on ourselves, but rather play our natural game freely. That is our intention,” she added.
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