Pakistan set to play Women's World Cup matches in Colombo due to India's host role
Pakistan will play all their women's 50-over World Cup matches in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo when India hosts this year's tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday. Politically-estranged India and Pakistan, who have not played a bilateral series since 2013, will play their matches in neutral venues when either country hosts an ICC event, the sport's global governing body announced in December.
"The venues for the knockouts are dependent on Pakistan qualifying as two alternative venues have been identified for one semi-final and the final," the ICC said.
"Colombo will be the venue for the first semi-final and the final only if Pakistan qualify for those stages."
Bengaluru, where the tournament will start with India playing in the opening match, will host the final on November 2 if Pakistan are knocked out earlier in the tournament, the ICC added.
Bengaluru will also stage the second semi-final on October 30, a day after the first semi-final in Colombo or Guwahati. Visakhapatnam and Indore are the two other host cities for the eight-team tournament.
India played all their matches in Dubai when Pakistan hosted the men's Champions Trophy this year, including the final which they won.
Both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League were suspended last month amid clashes between the two countries following an attack targeting tourists that killed 26 people in Kashmir in April. Matches resumed after a ceasefire was announced.
The neutral venue arrangement between the countries will also be in place for the men's T20 World Cup in 2026, which India will co-host with Sri Lanka, and the women's T20 World Cup in 2028 in Pakistan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
15 minutes ago
- NDTV
Mohammad Haris Powers Pakistan To 3-0 Whitewash, Makes Huge Leap In ICC T20I Rankings
Pakistan grabbed the spotlight with a commanding 3-0 series sweep over Bangladesh on home soil. Leading the charge was Mohammad Haris, who was named Player of the Series after a sensational century in the final match. His explosive performance saw him skyrocket 210 places to reach No. 30 in the latest ICC Men's T20I Batter Rankings, according to the official website of ICC. He smashed a fiery unbeaten 107 off just 46 balls in the third T20I, backing up his earlier knocks of 41 and 31 to finish as the series' top run-scorer with 167 runs at a strike rate of 201.12. Fellow middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz also impressed, finishing second on the charts with 121 runs at a strike rate of 198.36. He surged 57 places to a career-best equal 45th in the batting charts. Bangladesh's Tanzid Hasan (up 28 places to No.53) and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha (up 42 spots to equal 75th) were the other notable movers among batters after the series. In a high-scoring third T20I, Abbas Afridi returned with brilliant figures of 2/26, helping him jump 18 spots to a three-way-tied 19th spot in the ICC Men's T20I Bowlers Rankings with Anrich Nortje and Haris Rauf. Meanwhile, Shadab Khan's all-round contributions - 55 runs in two innings and four wickets across the series - helped him climb 10 places to No.14 in the ICC Men's T20I All-rounder Rankings. Playing at home, England completed a 3-0 whitewash over West Indies to set the new Harry Brook era rolling. In the new era, it was the seasoned Joe Root who led the charge, earning Player of the Series honours with 267 runs, including a century and a fifty, taking the former captain up 14 spots to equal 24th place in the ICC Men's ODI Batters Rankings. The highlight was a career-best 166* off 139 balls in the second ODI, where Root rescued England from 133/5 in the 24th over while chasing 309, guiding them to a memorable win. Ben Duckett continued his strong run in ODIs, backing up his Champions Trophy 2025 form with two more half-centuries against West Indies, as a result jumping up three spots to 17th in the latest rankings update. New skipper Harry Brook also made valuable contributions in the 3-0 sweep, registering scores of 58, 47, and an unbeaten 26 at a strike rate of 111.96. He jumps 15 spots to No.48. Even in defeat, Keacy Carty continued to shine for West Indies, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer of the series with 154 runs in three games. Building on two centuries against Ireland earlier in the European tour, Carty struck his fourth ODI ton in the second match against England, further cementing his place in the side. The 28-year-old Carty climbs four places to No.12 in the Batting Rankings with a rating of 659, just one behind fellow West Indian Shai Hope (660) and 17 off Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran (676), who sits in 10th. In the ICC Men's ODI Bowling Rankings, Adil Rashid, the leading wicket-taker of the series with nine scalps, moves up four spots to No.19. Saqib Mahmood makes the biggest leap, surging 82 places to No.48 after finishing with eight wickets. West Indies pace spearhead Alzarri Joseph picked up seven wickets in the series to climb nine spots to 18th in the ICC Men's ODI Bowling Rankings. His handy 41-run knock in the final ODI also lifted him six places to joint-21st in the All-rounders Rankings.
News18
27 minutes ago
- News18
'Smudge Will Be Batting At Number...': AUS Skipper Pat Cummins' Huge Reveal Ahead Of WTC Final
Last Updated: Much was speculated regarding Smith's fit in the batting lineup, with many suggesting that the Aussies might consider sending the talisman batter out to open the innings for them. When the stakes are high, it's best to play to your strengths. And the stakes sure don't get much higher when a World Test Championship is on the line. Well, Australia skipper Pat Cummins has followed suit, announcing that talisman batter Steve Smith will take to the crease for the side at No. 4, ahead of the World Test Championship final. Australia's upcoming World Test Championship final against South Africa is set to take place at Lord's from June 11-15. Smith, who has thrived playing at No. 4 for the Aussies in Tests, with 23 centuries and 26 fifties under his belt from the same position, was one of their saviours back in the 2023 WTC Final against India as well, where he slammed a first-innings century which set the stage for Australia to win and claim the title. Much has been speculated regarding Smith's fit in the batting lineup, with many suggesting that the men from down under might consider sending the talisman batter out to open the innings for them. In a conversation with The Grade Cricketer on Prime Video Australia, Cummins shut down all rumours and confirmed that Smith will take to the crease from the No.4 position only. 'I can confirm that Smudge will be batting at four. Everyone else, I'm not willing to confirm, but I can confirm Steve Smith will be number four," said Cummins. Australia is on the verge of becoming the first team to win back-to-back WTC titles, and Cummins spoke about the challenges of competing in the two-year championship cycle. 'After winning (in 2023), there's a lot of talk of trying to retain it. Go and defend it. It's not tangible until you actually make the final. Now that we've made it, it'll be pretty cool to win another ICC trophy." 'You've really got to be a complete team over a couple-year stretch to make the final. We just missed out on that first year (2019-2021), but I think we are a better side now than we were back then. 'I think two (WTC titles) would be incredible. One, I think, is still a pretty good demonstration of how good we've been over the past few years," he elaborated. But Cummins isn't one to reminisce on the past, for he knows very well that South Africa, captained by Temba Bavuma, has enough match-winners themselves who can pose a serious challenge to them in the WTC final. 'They always seem to compete in every tournament. They've got a lot of experience, especially the white-ball teams – they play across different franchise leagues." 'There's always a little bit of mystique around South Africa, because we don't play them as often as, say, India."
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bengaluru Stampede: RCB mourns tragic loss of lives, expresses deep anguish
Royal Challengers Bengaluru expressed deep sorrow over the stampede during their victory celebrations, which resulted in tragic loss of lives. RCB promptly altered their program upon learning about the incident, following the guidance of local authorities. The team urged supporters to prioritize safety amidst the mourning in Bengaluru. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In the wake of the tragic stampede during their victory celebrations in Bengaluru, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has issued a heartfelt statement expressing sorrow over the loss of lives. The team acknowledged the chaos that unfolded as thousands gathered to welcome their historic IPL title win, stressing that the safety and well-being of fans remain their top priority.'We are deeply anguished by the unfortunate incidents that have come to light through media reports regarding public gatherings all over Bengaluru in anticipation of the team's arrival this afternoon. The safety and well-being of everyone is of utmost importance to us. RCB mourns the tragic loss of lives and extend our heartfelt condolences to the affected families,' the statement also highlighted their immediate response after learning about the chaos. 'Immediately upon being made aware of the situation, we promptly amended our program, and followed the guidance and advice of the local administration. We urge all our supporters to please stay safe.'The cricket team had been welcomed by thousands of fans celebrating their historic Indian Premier League (IPL) title win, but the festivities took a tragic turn due to overcrowding and a resulting stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium.
