Devajit Saikia Confident India Women Can Finally Lift World Cup In Guwahati

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia expressed hope on Sunday that the Indian women's cricket team will finally lift the Women's ODI World Cup trophy, breaking a long-standing jinx as the tournament kicks off in Guwahati on September 30. India, co-hosting the eight-team event with Sri Lanka, will face the hosts in the opening match following a ceremonial prelude.

The 2025 edition marks a historic first for the Women's World Cup, with warm-up matches preceding the main event and the opener set at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Assam.

India enters the tournament with high expectations but a challenging history, having participated in all 12 previous editions without securing the title. The team, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, recently demonstrated resilience by narrowly losing a three-match ODI series to Australia 2-1 in a hard-fought contest.

Saikia praised the series as "keenly contested," noting that India is rapidly closing the gap on powerhouses like Australia. "Indian women's cricket has come of age," he said, highlighting their strong performances in England earlier this year as a key achievement.

Saikia emphasized the nationwide support for the team, bolstered by the home advantage in select matches. "Everybody is backing our Indian team," he told reporters at BCCI headquarters. This World Cup represents a prime opportunity for India to claim their first ICC women's trophy, amid growing investments in women's cricket infrastructure and talent development under BCCI's initiatives.

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The opening ceremony will include a poignant 40-minute tribute to Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, who tragically died at age 52 in Singapore on Friday after a scuba diving accident. The Assam Cricket Association and BCCI are collaborating on the segment to honor his legacy, with playback singer Shreya Ghoshal set to perform during the mid-innings break of the India-Sri Lanka clash.

As anticipation builds, Saikia remains confident that the team will deliver a remarkable showing and end the drought.

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