India will host Australia for a three-match ODI series in mid-September as part of both teams’ crucial preparations for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. The series will be played from September 14 to 20, just ahead of the World Cup, which begins on September 29 in India.
The games will be held at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), and the ODI series will serve as a key warm-up for both teams as they gear up for the global tournament. India, the host nation, will face stiff competition from other top teams like Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, who have all earned direct entry into the World Cup. Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Pakistan qualified through the World Cup Qualifiers in Pakistan earlier this year.
In an agreement made earlier this year, Pakistan’s World Cup matches will likely be played at a neutral venue, a decision based on the BCCI-PCB agreement ahead of the Champions Trophy. This agreement meant that, although Pakistan hosted the Champions Trophy, all India-Pakistan encounters were played in Dubai.
India A to Face Australia A and South Africa A in Home Series
In addition to the Women’s ODI World Cup preparations, India A will also be busy with two exciting series scheduled for later this year. Australia A and South Africa A will both tour India for a set of four-day matches and one-dayers in September, October, and November.
- Australia A will play their series first, with two four-day games starting September 16 and 23, followed by three one-dayers on September 30, October 3, and October 5.
- South Africa A will visit after a gap, playing two four-day matches on November 2 and 9, and three one-dayers on November 13, 16, and 19.
The four-day games between India A and Australia A will be held in Lucknow, while the one-day matches will take place in Kanpur. For the India A vs South Africa A series, all matches will be played in Bengaluru. Notably, the four-day matches will be hosted at the BCCI’s new Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy), marking the first-ever competitive games at the new facility.
Final Thoughts
As the Women’s ODI World Cup draws nearer, the upcoming India-Australia ODI series will provide valuable practice for both teams, building excitement ahead of the tournament. Additionally, the India A series against Australia A and South Africa A promises to offer some great opportunities for emerging players to shine on home soil, with all eyes on the new Centre of Excellence.
