Sri Lanka has been named as one of the co-hosts for this year’s Women’s World Cup, stepping in to stage matches involving Pakistan due to ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan. The move comes after the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to adopt a neutral venue policy for events hosted by either nation, following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the recent men’s Champions Trophy.
Under the new arrangement, neither India nor Pakistan will tour the other’s territory for ICC events. Instead, neutral locations have been designated to ensure fixtures involving both sides can go ahead without geopolitical interference.
As a result, Colombo will join Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore, and Visakhapatnam as venues for the Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to run from 30 September to 2 November. All seven of Pakistan’s group-stage games—including clashes against India and England—will take place in Colombo. Should Pakistan advance to the semi-finals or final, those matches would also be held in the Sri Lankan capital.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru will host the tournament opener, which features India, and will also be the final venue if Pakistan is not involved.
The full schedule for the eight-team competition has yet to be officially released. Defending champions Australia, who defeated England in the delayed 2022 final in New Zealand, will be looking to retain their crown.
However, the decision to host matches in Sri Lanka comes with risks. The month of October is typically rainy, potentially disrupting fixtures in Colombo.
Sporting ties between India and Pakistan have been sporadic for years, limited largely to ICC tournaments. Tensions flared again during the men’s Champions Trophy earlier this year. Although Pakistan traveled to India for the 2023 men’s 50-over World Cup, India opted not to reciprocate, instead playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, where they eventually lifted the trophy.
Compounding the political strain, military hostilities last month led to the suspension of both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL). Both tournaments have since resumed, and the rescheduled IPL final is set for Tuesday.
Whether either government will allow their national teams to face off in upcoming ICC fixtures remains uncertain, with geopolitical considerations still casting a long shadow over bilateral sporting engagements.
Separately, the ICC has confirmed that the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England will kick off at Edgbaston on 12 June, with semi-finals at The Oval and the final at Lord’s on 5 July.
