The 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup has officially commenced, kicking off a month of thrilling competition across co-hosts India and Sri Lanka. The 13th edition of the tournament, running from September 30 to November 2, is already making headlines with dramatic matches and a landmark commitment to pay equity.

This year's event features a staggering prize pool of $13.88 million, a nearly 300% increase from the previous tournament. In a historic move, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the champion team will earn $4.48 million, a figure that surpasses the prize money awarded at the 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup, signaling a significant moment for gender equity in the sport.

The tournament began on September 30 in Guwahati, where co-host India secured a strong start with a 59-run victory over Sri Lanka via the DLS method in a rain-affected match. Amanjot Kaur was a standout performer, marking her World Cup debut with a crucial half-century (57), while Deepti Sharma added 53 runs to help India post a competitive total of 269-8.

Defending champions Australia also launched their title defense in dominant fashion. They began their campaign with a resounding 89-run victory over New Zealand in Indore. While a subsequent match against Sri Lanka was unfortunately washed out, the favourites are currently facing Pakistan. Seeking their first win after losses to Bangladesh and India, Pakistan won the toss and elected to field, hoping to upset a formidable Australian side that has historically never lost an ODI to them.

Meanwhile, England has maintained a perfect start to their campaign. In a tense contest against Bangladesh, England recovered from a precarious position at 103-6 to clinch a four-wicket victory. A resilient partnership between captain Heather Knight and Charlie Dean guided the team home, while their spinners, led by an effective Sophie Ecclestone, proved decisive by taking 9-116.

The tournament features eight teams competing in a round-robin format before the knockout stages. Matches are being held in five cities: Bengaluru, Indore, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Colombo. In a notable scheduling arrangement, all fixtures involving rivals India and Pakistan are set to take place at neutral venues, with their highly anticipated clash scheduled for Colombo.

With top teams already asserting their dominance and a record prize on the line, the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup is shaping up to be an unforgettable chapter in the history of women's cricket. The final is scheduled to be played on November 2.