Captains from all eight teams speak on preparation, pressure, and opportunity ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
With just four days to go before the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 kicks off, captains from all eight participating teams gathered for a special Captains’ Day event held simultaneously in Bengaluru and Colombo.
The event featured a unique dual-location format, with Alyssa Healy (Australia), Nat Sciver-Brunt (England), Sophie Devine (New Zealand), and Harmanpreet Kaur (India) speaking from Bengaluru, while Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh), Fatima Sana (Pakistan), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), and Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka) joined from Colombo.
The skippers shared their perspectives on the evolving landscape of women’s cricket, expectations from their squads, and the importance of the 2025 World Cup, which will be staged across five venues in India and Sri Lanka from 30 September to 2 November.
Harmanpreet Kaur (India): “This is our moment to shine”
“Leading your country in a home ODI World Cup is a special feeling. Every team here has a chance to win — which speaks volumes about the rise of women’s cricket. Packed stadiums are becoming the norm, and we’re ready to make our fans proud. We’ll give our best.”
Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka): “We want to enjoy the game and the crowd”
“Playing at home gives us incredible energy. We saw great support during the Asia Cup and hope for the same during the World Cup. We want to play freely and naturally, without extra pressure.”
Alyssa Healy (Australia): “This will be the toughest World Cup ever”
“Defending the title is never easy. You have to beat every team to lift that trophy. Every side here is strong, and this will be the most competitive World Cup we’ve seen.”
Nat Sciver-Brunt (England): “India brings a new level of energy to the game”
“The support and passion in India are unmatched. We’ve got a good mix of young and experienced players. I believe the quality of cricket will be outstanding.”
Sophie Devine (New Zealand): “Everyone starts at zero — we’re here to win”
“We’re confident in our ability to win world events. Now it’s about executing. I’ve seen huge growth in the women’s game. It’s time to ensure equal opportunity across the board.”
Fatima Sana (Pakistan): “Familiar conditions will help us push for top four”
“We play all our matches at the same venue, which gives us a comfort advantage. Our goal is to reach the semifinals, and we’re prepared for the challenge.”
Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh): “We’re ready to give back to our fans”
“This is our second ODI World Cup, and we’ve grown a lot since our first. We now know how to win in tournament situations and want to perform for our growing fan base.”
Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa): “Every game is a big game”
“There are no easy matches in a tournament like this. We’ll focus on one game at a time. Subcontinental conditions level the field and give everyone a real chance.”
Tournament details and milestones
- Dates: 30 September – 2 November 2025
- Venues: Guwahati, Indore, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Colombo
- Opening match: India vs Sri Lanka in Guwahati on 30 September
- Australia’s first match: vs New Zealand in Indore on 1 October
- Total prize money: USD 13.88 million — more than ICC Men’s World Cup 2023
- Winner’s purse: USD 4.48 million
- Match officials: First ICC Women’s World Cup with an all-female panel
This is the first ICC Women’s global event in the subcontinent since 2016, and the first 50-over World Cup hosted in the region since 2013. With growing fan engagement, higher prize money, and top-level competition, the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 promises to be a landmark moment for the women’s game.
Photographs and videos from Captains’ Day are available on the ICC Online Media Zone for free editorial use.
