India in all likelihood will host the Women's 50-over World Cup in 2025 as the BCCI is set to bid for the mega event. If India wins the bid, the ICC flagship event will return to the country after more than a decade.
The last time a women's 50-over World Cup was held in India was back in 2013 when Australia emerged champions after beating the West Indies by 114 runs in the final in Mumbai.
The ICC's Annual Conference is being held in Birmingham and it has been learnt that the bids for the four big women's ICC events for the next cycle will be accepted during the meet.
India favourites to host 2025 edition
India will be favourites to host the 2025 edition of the global ODI event. "Bids are being accepted for four women's events. The prominent amongst them are 2024 and 2026 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2025 edition of the ODI World Cup," an ICC Board member told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The last big mega women's global cricket event held in India was the 2016 World T20 but that was primarily because ICC used to organise both men's and women's event simultaneously.
However, the system has changed with popularity of women's game increasing exponentially and ICC has segregated the events to procure the proper value for women's game with separate broadcast deal and exclusive coverage.
The 50-over Women's World Cup however has been a stand-alone event since its inception in 1973, two years before the men's mega event started in England in 1975.
India hosted it thrice
India have hosted the event thrice — in 1978, 1997 and 2013. Those in the know of things in the ICC felt that it was prudent call by the BCCI if they are bidding for the 2025 ODI event.
"Since BCCI is bullish about starting the Women's IPL from next season, I think they wouldn't like to hold any other marquee T20 women's event right away. Hence the decision to bid for the 2025 World Cup seems logical," the source said.
In the 2025 Women's World Cup, the hosts and five top nations from ICC Women's Championship (IWC) 2022-2025 will get direct entry into the tournament.
The remaining two teams will be identified through a global Qualifier comprising six teams. Out of six teams in the Qualifier, four will be from the IWC (rankings after top five teams) and the other two will be selected according to the ICC Women's ODI Team Rankings.
