Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has officially confirmed that the Pakistan women’s cricket team will not travel to India for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, scheduled for later this year. Instead, the team will play its matches at a neutral venue, as per the hybrid model agreement accepted earlier this year.
Naqvi clarified that since India is hosting the tournament, it will decide the neutral venue for Pakistan’s matches. “Everything will happen according to the agreement. India will decide where the match will happen because they are the hosts. Wherever they decide, our team will go and play there. But the Pakistan team won’t travel to India,” Naqvi told reporters following Pakistan’s match against Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier.
Why will the Pakistan cricket team not travel to India?
Due to long-standing political tensions, cricketing ties between India and Pakistan remain limited to ICC tournaments and Asia Cups. India last toured Pakistan in 2008 for the Asia Cup, while their last bilateral series was in 2012-13 in India. Since then, both teams have faced off only in multi-nation events.
Earlier this year, a similar situation unfolded during the Champions Trophy, which was hosted by Pakistan. India declined to participate on Pakistani soil, forcing the ICC to approve a hybrid model for hosting the tournament at a neutral venue as well.
Pakistan women team qualify for World Cup
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s women’s team qualified for the World Cup after an unbeaten campaign at the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers, held in Pakistan. They won all five of their matches to book a spot alongside Bangladesh, who claimed the second qualifying spot.
The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 will take place from September 26 to November 2, featuring teams from India, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
