Reports have come in that Pakistan women’s cricket team will not attend the opening ceremony of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 in India.
The grand ceremony is planned for September 30 in Guwahati, just before the first game of the tournament.
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But according to sources, no Pakistan representative, including captain Fatima Sana, will be present.
This move has again brought political tensions between the two countries into the spotlight.
Why is Pakistan skipping the Women’s World Cup 2025 opening ceremony?
As per reports, the Pakistan side has decided not to travel to Guwahati for the ceremony. The event will take place at the Barsapara Stadium before the opening clash between India and Sri Lanka.
A big show has been lined up, with singer Shreya Ghoshal set to perform. But Pakistan’s absence has created headlines, with speculation that the decision is linked to the strained India–Pakistan relations.
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Earlier this year, during the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, India refused to travel across the border and instead played their games at neutral venues. A similar arrangement is now being seen for the Women’s ODI World Cup.
Where will Pakistan women play their World Cup matches?
Pakistan will not play their fixtures in India. Instead, all of their games have been scheduled in Colombo at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
This includes their first match against Bangladesh on October 2 and the high-voltage India vs Pakistan clash on October 5.
If Pakistan qualify for the knockouts, both their semi-final (October 29) and the final (November 2) would also take place in Colombo.
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This setup follows the same policy where both nations have avoided crossing borders in ICC tournaments due to ongoing political differences.