Pak Women's WC ties in Colombo
Pakistan will play all their women's 50-over World Cup matches in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo when India hosts this year's tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.
Politically-estranged India and Pakistan, who have not played a bilateral series since 2013, will play their matches in neutral venues when either country hosts an ICC event, the sport's global governing body announced in December.
"The venues for the knockouts are dependent on Pakistan qualifying as two alternative venues have been identified for one semi-final and the final," the ICC said.
"Colombo will be the venue for the first semi-final and the final only if Pakistan qualify for those stages." Bengaluru, where the tournament will start with India playing in the opening match, will host the final on November 2 if Pakistan are knocked out earlier in the tournament, the ICC added.
Bengaluru will also stage the second semi-final on October 30, a day after the first semi-final in Colombo or Guwahati. Visakhapatnam and Indore are the two other host cities for the eight-team tournament.
India played all their matches in Dubai when Pakistan hosted the men's Champions Trophy this year, including the final which they won.
Both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League were suspended last month amid clashes between the two countries following an attack targeting tourists that killed 26 people in Kashmir in April.
Matches resumed after a ceasefire was announced. The neutral venue arrangement between the countries will also be in place for the men's T20 World Cup in 2026, which India will co-host with Sri Lanka, and the women's T20 World Cup in 2028 in Pakistan. Reuters
Women's Emerging Asia Cup postponed
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has officially announced the postponement of the ACC Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2025, which was originally scheduled to begin on June 6 in Sri Lanka.
The decision follows a formal request from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva, who wrote to ACC President Mohsin Raza Naqvi, citing adverse weather conditions and growing health concerns stemming from a chikungunya outbreak in the region.
In a statement, ACC President Mohsin Naqvi reaffirmed the council's dedication to women's cricket.
"The ACC is committed to providing opportunities for young women cricketers to develop their skills and compete at the highest level," said Mr. Mohsin Raza Naqvi, President Asian Cricket Council.
"We understand the strategic significance of this tournament in shaping the future of women's cricket in Asia, and we will work diligently to reschedule the event at the earliest possible date," he added. The ACC emphasised that it remains focused on promoting women's cricket and nurturing emerging talent across the continent. New dates for the tournament will be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, speculation had been circulating in the media regarding India's possible withdrawal from ACC tournaments due to ongoing cross-border tensions. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has strongly refuted these claims.
Speaking to the Indian media, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia clarified the board's position regarding participation in ACC events, firmly denying any withdrawal rumors.
"There has been no discussion or decision to withdraw from any ACC event. Our current focus remains on the Indian Premier League and the upcoming England series for both the men's and women's teams."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Too early to judge Gill and his young India team, says Dev
NEW DELHI: Former India captain Kapil Dev on Saturday said it is too early to judge new Test skipper Shubman Gill and his young team in England despite two defeats. Gill, 25, took over a team in transition after the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the five-Test tour of England. The visitors, who trail the series 2-1, lost the opener before they bounced back to level the series. They then went down in a closely-fought third Test at Lord's. Ben Stokes' England are in the box seat in the fourth Test and in sight of clinching the series. 'The team came close to winning (at Lord's) and then lost,' said Dev, who is the president of Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), on the sidelines of the announcement of the second half of the national golf calender. Stokes ends two-year wait for Test hundred before India collapse in fourth Test 'It's a new team and it is getting an opportunity. In the coming days, these boys will come back with tournament victories. 'Any new team needs time to adjust. The new captain has to learn a lot and this series will be a learning step (for him).' Gill, a top-order batter, leads the series batting with over 600 runs including three centuries and a career-best of 269 in the second Test in Birmingham. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been India's best bowler with 14 wickets in five innings despite the collective decision that he play just three Tests to manage his workload. Bumrah, a yorker specialist who bowls with an unusual slingshot action has more than 200 Test wickets in his injury-prone career of 48 Tests. But Dev, who never missed a Test due to injury in his 16-year-old career that ended in 1994 with 434 wickets, defended Bumrah's decision to skip matches. 'I think everybody is different,' the 1983 World Cup-winning captain told reporters. 'Times have changed, bodies are different and they are working differently. 'He is one of the finest bowlers we have. His action is so awkward, and to sustain it this far, I think it's fabulous. 'We never thought that someone would play so long (with this action) because he puts so much stress on his body. He is still delivering for the Indian team, hats off to him.' Dev said Indian golf is ready to take a leaf out of cricket's set up in India and expand with the PGTI securing new sponsors and increased prize money for tournaments.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
ACC president confirms schedule for Asia Cup 2025
Listen to article Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has officially confirmed that the Asia Cup 2025 will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 9 to 28. The announcement was made on Saturday through his X account, where he stated that the detailed schedule of the tournament would be released soon. 'I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,' he wrote. 'The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th. We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket!' I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE 🇦🇪 . The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th. We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket! Detailed Schedule will be out soon. #Cricketwins — Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) July 26, 2025 According to reports, eight teams will compete: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, UAE, and Oman. A total of 19 matches will be played, with the final scheduled for 28 September. The tournament will follow the T20 format. Pakistan and India are expected to be in the same group, which could lead to three possible encounters—one in the group stage, one in the Super Four, and potentially a third in the final. Despite earlier rumours of India possibly skipping the event, the BCCI had denied such claims. A promotional poster featuring only India and Sri Lanka had recently raised concerns about Pakistan's participation. However, based on existing agreements, India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet only in ICC or ACC tournaments held at neutral venues, such as the UAE.
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Indian team gets ‘green light' to play against Pakistan in Asia Cup
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has finally 'given' the green light to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), paving the way for the Indian cricket team to play matches against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, Aaj News reported. Eight teams will participate in the event, including Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Hong Kong. According to Indian media, there were some differences between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, which have now been resolved amicably, after which major obstacles to the tournament plan have been removed. Speaking to media after the ACC Annual General Meeting on July 24 , Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi had said discussions with the BCCI were ongoing and expressed confidence that all matters related to the Asia Cup 2025 will be resolved soon. 'The environment was positive and constructive. No one wants politics; we are all here to work for cricket,' Naqvi had said. ACC annual meeting, which was chaired by the ACC president and attended by all 25 members in Dhaka, Bangladesh, had approved the tournament calendar for 2025–2026, 'in line with ACC's sustained commitment to high-quality cricketing opportunities across its member countries,' the ACC had said in a press release. Asia Cup 2025 to be held from September 9-28 in UAE, Mohsin Naqvi confirms In a significant late development, the BCCI had chosen to participate in the ACC Annual General Meeting virtually, reversing its earlier position amid ongoing political tensions in the region. Indian media had previously reported that the board might skip the meeting due to strained diplomatic ties with Bangladesh and Pakistan. India currently holds the official hosting rights for the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup. However, given the sensitivities involved, particularly following heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan in May, hosting the event in the UAE was floated as a compromise. The Indian media even reported last month that the board had decided to pull out of the tournament - a rumour soon rejected by the BCCI officials. Meanwhile, Naqvi on Saturday confirmed dates for the Asia Cup 2025, saying the tournament will take place from September 9 to 28. Whereas, in his statement on social media account X, Naqvi said detailed schedule of the Asia Cup will be released soon.
