In spite of the recent military showdowns, the South Asian cricket titans will meet at the 50-over and 20-over World Cups, but on neutral grounds. India and Pakistan will be facing each other in the round-robin phase of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 on October 5, five months following the most heated military confrontations between the two countries, cricket’s governing body confirmed.
The cricket giants will also meet in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 group stage, with the big clash on June 14, as per the event schedule released by the ICC on Wednesday.
India is staging the 50-over World Cup 2025 from September 30 to November 2, but all of Pakistan’s matches – including any in the semifinals and final – will be staged in Sri Lanka since the two nations agreed in December 2024 to an ICC-mediated agreement to play each other at neutral grounds for forthcoming ICC events.
India and Pakistan fought a four-day war last month, their worst since 1999 before there was a ceasefire on May 10. Over 70 were killed in artillery, drone and missile fire on both sides, but there are conflicting claims on casualties.
After the incidents, some Indian media sources said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) requested the ICC to refrain from giving them and Pakistan the same group in international competitions.
But BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla assured that although India “doesn’t want to play with Pakistan in bilateral series because of the government’s stand”, India will face its western neighbour at ICC events “because of the ICC’s engagement”.
The ICC is also informed, whatever is going on, they will investigate,” Shukla was quoted by Indian media. During the standoff, which had raised fears of an all-out war, former and current cricketers of both nations posted messages of support on social media in favour of their respective militaries.
With the seriousness of the situation, the chance of both countries coming face-to-face on a cricket pitch seemed doubtful, but the ICC cleared the schedule of the 50-over tournament on Monday, with the India-Pakistan round-robin stage match lined up in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the first week of the tournament.
The remaining six games of Pakistan will also be hosted in the Sri Lankan capital, with the R Premadasa Stadium being most likely.
