Pakistan will not be attending the opening ceremony of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, which is scheduled to take place in Guwahati, India, on September 30. According to sources reported by Geo Super, the Pakistan women’s cricket team will skip the ceremony altogether.
The opening ceremony is planned to be a grand event, as it usually marks the beginning of a global cricket tournament. It will take place at the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, where co-hosts India and Sri Lanka will play the tournament opener. Traditionally, captains of all participating teams are invited to attend this ceremony. They also take part in a joint press conference, media activities, and an official photoshoot with the ICC trophy. However, this time Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana, along with the rest of the team, will not be traveling to India for the event.
The reason behind Pakistan’s absence is linked to the “Fusion Formula,” an arrangement that prevents Pakistan and India from traveling to each other’s countries for any ICC event over the next three years. This agreement came into effect after the decision regarding the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to be hosted in Pakistan. As a result of this formula, Pakistan’s matches in the Women’s World Cup 2025 will not take place in India.
Instead, the Pakistan women’s team will play all their World Cup matches at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This arrangement ensures that the team avoids traveling to India while still being part of the tournament.
If Pakistan qualifies for the knockout stages, their semi-final match on October 29 and the final on November 2 will also be played in Colombo. This means the Green Shirts will spend the entire tournament in Sri Lanka, regardless of their progress.
For fans wondering about Pakistan’s schedule, the team will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on October 2 at the Colombo venue. This match will be important as it sets the tone for the rest of their World Cup journey.
Pakistan squad for ICC Women’s World Cup 2025:
- Fatima Sana (Captain)
- Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (Vice-Captain)
- Aliya Riaz
- Diana Baig
- Eyman Fatima
- Nashra Sundhu
- Natalia Parvaiz
- Omaima Sohail
- Rameen Shamim
- Sadaf Shamas
- Sadia Iqbal
- Shawaal Zulfiqar
- Sidra Amin
- Sidra Nawaz (Wicketkeeper)
- Syeda Aroob Shah
Non-traveling reserves:
- Gull Feroza
- Najiha Alvi
- Tuba Hassan
- Umm-e-Hani
- Waheeda Akhtar
This squad combines a mix of experienced players and young talent, giving Pakistan a balanced lineup for the mega event. Players like Diana Baig and Aliya Riaz bring valuable experience, while youngsters such as Eyman Fatima and Shawaal Zulfiqar add fresh energy to the side.
Even though Pakistan will miss out on the colorful opening ceremony in India, their focus remains on performing well in Sri Lanka and making a strong run in the tournament. Fans across the globe will be watching closely to see how the Green Shirts perform in this World Cup campaign.
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