Pakistan to play in Colombo as Women’s World Cup returns to India after 12 years

Pakistan will not visit India as the Women's Cricket World returns to the country after 12 years. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced Colombo as a fifth venue for the 50-over event, which will be held from September 30 to November 2.

The choice of Colombo is understood to be to accommodate Pakistan, which has maintained that it will not play cricket in India.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi reminded media persons in his country about an agreement with the ICC made ahead of the Champions Trophy in February-March this year. It was decided to have neutral venues for ICC matches hosted by either country.

The PCB and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed upon a hybrid model for the 2024-2027 ICC cycle, including the Women's World Cup and the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, which India and Sri Lanka will co-host.

However, the worsening of the diplomatic tension between the countries following the Pahalgam terror attack launched by Pakistan-based terrorists and India's retaliation meant sports teams are unlikely to cross the border for a few more years.

M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru), ACA Stadium (Guwahati), Holkar Stadium (Indore), and ACA-VDCA Stadium (Visakhapatnam) are the four venues in India for the upcoming World Cup. Bengaluru will host the event opener, featuring India, on September 30 and the second semifinal on October 30.

However, the venue for the first semifinal and the final has yet to be announced, as it will depend on Pakistan's progress.

During the Champions Trophy, the UAE was chosen as a neutral venue following India's refusal to play in Pakistan. Pakistan's early exit and India's stellar run meant one of the semifinals, and the final was held in the Emirates.

India last hosted the Women's World Cup in 2013. India finished runners-up in 2005 and 2017, but have yet to win the event. Seven-time winners Australia are the defending champions.