Latest news with #sCricketWorldCup2025
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Tier-2 takeover: Women's ODI World Cup seeks new pastures
Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana during an event organised ahead of the ICC Women�s Cricket World Cup 2025 (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade) W hen India hosted the ODI Women's World Cup in 1997, the final saw a near-capacity turnout at Eden Gardens in Kolkata that left Aussie legend Belinda Clarke's 'eardrums buzzing'. The event, played across 25 venues, was a success as matches played in smaller centres set a precedent for balancing prestige with outreach, inspiring young girls from tier-2 cities to believe that cricket could be a career. The 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, kicking off on Sept 30, aims to channelize this legacy but faces challenges in its venue selection. While Sri Lanka host Pakistan's games due to geopolitical constraints along with their own games, India have opted for Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Indore's Holkar Stadium and Visakhapatnam's Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, initially a centerpiece, was dropped after the Karnataka government withheld permission, citing safety concerns following a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory parade on June 4. A judicial commission report labelled Chinnaswamy 'fundamentally unsafe' due to its design flaws and inadequate entry-exit points, forcing the BCCI to pivot to alternative venues like Thiruvananthapuram's Greenfields Stadium. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo The 2025 venues, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram — if it gets hosting rights — are tier-2 cities, which may not host any games during next year's men's T20 World Cup. Visakhapatnam's 27,500-seat stadium has hosted ODIs and T20Is but lacks the storied legacy of Mumbai's Wankhede (33,000), site of the 2011 men's World Cup triumph. Guwahati's Barsapara (40,000) and Indore's Holkar (30,000), though upgraded post-2019, are seen as secondary compared to giants like Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium (1,32,000) or Kolkata's Eden Gardens (68,000), both steeped in World Cup history. Former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy loved playing in Bengaluru and Kolkata, but feels taking matches to tier-2 cities should be looked at as 'progress'. 'We need to take cricket to tier-2 cities. It's a progress, though it may not look like that. We need to reach to the roots and widen our base. Bengaluru is supposed to be the best centre out of the four but reportedly the venue has lost the opportunity to host the World Cup games due to the stampede. It's a shame, a personal loss. It would have helped boost women's cricket in Karnataka which is at its lowest ebb,' she said. Poll Should cricket matches be hosted in tier-2 cities to promote women's cricket? Yes, it's essential for development No, it should stay in major cities Only if facilities are improved Undecided Former India batter Anjum Chopra pointed out that a lot of thought must have gone into deciding the venues. 'India has great cricket infrastructure. We have more than 30 international stadiums. I am sure before picking the venues there was a thought on how women's cricket needs to be popularised and taken to different cities. I don't think any venue is a poor venue. The men's team will also be playing at that time and domestic cricket will also be on,' she explained. When India last hosted a women's flagship event, the 2016 T20 World Cup, it leveraged eight premier venues, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamshala, Mohali, Bengaluru and Nagpur, drawing robust crowds and attention. By prioritising emerging regions this time, possibly the aim is to broaden the footprint, fostering growth beyond metro hubs. But only time will tell if it can live up to its ambitious vision. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Women's ODI World Cup: Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur vows to ‘break the barrier' at home
Mumbai: Cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana during an event organised ahead of the ICC Women�s Cricket World Cup 2025, in Mumbai. The tournament will begin on Sept. 30, 2025. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade)(PTI08_11_2025_000166B) Mumbai: Even as uncertainty lingers over Bengaluru's status as a venue for the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup in India from Sept 30, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the BCCI on Monday held an event in the city to mark the tournament's 50-day countdown. Bengaluru is slated to host four matches, including the opening fixture between India and Sri Lanka on Sept 30, along with three other games, one of which is the semifinal and the final on Nov 2 (if Pakistan do not qualify). However, a stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in June — during RCB's IPL victory celebrations — claimed 11 lives. Since then, local police have denied the Karnataka State Cricket Association permission to stage matches at the venue. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! For all the strides women's cricket has made in India — including the launch of the Women's Premier League — the national women's team is yet to win a World Cup. At the countdown launch, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur , flanked by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and batter Jemimah Rodrigues, declared her side's determination to 'break the final barrier' and create history at home. Poll Do you think Bengaluru should still host matches for the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup despite the recent stampede? Yes, it should No, it should not Only if safety measures are improved Unsure 'Playing at home is special, and hopefully this time we'll and break the barrier that all Indians have been waiting for. World Cups are always special, and I want to do something special for my country,' said Harmanpreet. India have been runners-up in 2005, third in 2009, and seventh in 2013 — the last time they hosted the tournament. Their closest brush with glory came in 2017, when they lost a heartbreaking final to England at Lord's, collapsing from 191/3 to 219 while chasing 228. That tournament also featured Harmanpreet's unbeaten 171 off 115 balls in the semifinal against Australia. 'I still remember that knock — it was very special. A lot changed for me and women's cricket after that. At the time, I didn't fully realise what had happened, but when we returned to India after losing the final, the crowd waiting to cheer for us,' she said. To prepare for the World Cup, India — fresh from a series win in England — will face defending champions Australia in a three-match home series from Sept 14. Harmanpreet said the contest will serve as ideal preparation: 'Playing against Australia is always challenging and helps us assess where we stand. We've been working hard in training camps, and the results are showing.' Mumbai: Cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues during an event organised ahead of the ICC Women�s Cricket World Cup 2025, in Mumbai. The tournament will begin on Sept. 30, 2025. (PTI Photo/Shashank Parade)(PTI08_11_2025_000165B) The eight-team World Cup will run from Sept 30 to Nov 2, with matches in Visakhapatnam, Indore, Guwahati, and Colombo in addition to the asyet-unconfirmed Bengaluru. Yuvraj Singh, India's 2011 World Cup hero, who attended the event urged the players to enjoy the tournament and focus on the process rather than the pressure of winning. 'Play the situation, not the expectation. Be in the moment and trust the process,' he said. Mandhana, meanwhile, credited the rise in participation in women's cricket to the sport's growth over the past eight years and the support of the BCCI. 'We've had great preparatory camps and an amazing England tour. We know our fans will come and support us, and we want to do our best for them,' she said. Rodrigues spoke of her improved mindset and preparation: 'I want my confidence to come from my preparation, and that gives me clarity,' she noted. Mithali Raj, who led India in the 2017 final, said that edition was the sport's watershed moment. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
