Credit: BCCI &
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to bid for the hosting rights of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup when the ICC's Annual Conference is held in Birmingham. Reports have emerged that the global cricket governing body will accept the bids for the four big women's ICC events for the next cycle which also includes the 2025 ODI World Cup.
If BCCI wins the bid for the hosting rights, the tournament will return to the country after more than a decade, having last hosted the tournament way back in 2013. Australia had emerged as the champions after beating the West Indies by 114 runs in the final in Mumbai. The last big mega women's global cricket event hosted by BCCI was the 2016 World T20 but that was primarily because ICC used to organize both men's and women's events simultaneously.
However, the system has changed with the popularity of women's games increasing exponentially and ICC has segregated the events to procure the proper value for women's games with a separate broadcast deal and exclusive coverage. The 50 over Women's World Cup 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 have hosted the event thrice- in 1978, 1997, and 2013.
"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. "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.
Notably, 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.