ODI World Cup: Great expectations, as the Women in Blue unveil their squad

Mithali Raj, the iconic women’s cricketer and captain of the Women in Blue — the team which fell agonisingly short of winning the ODI World Cup in the 2017 final against England — knows what it means to be so-near-yet-so-far. So do Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, captain and deputy of the 15-member Indian squad named on 19 August, Tuesday, for the showpiece that is returning to India for the first time since 2013.

The 2025 edition, which kicks off with the hosts taking on Sri Lanka in the opener on 30 September, will also be the first senior ICC women’s event in the Subcontinent since the 2016 T20 World Cup.

India has hosted the Women’s ODI World Cup thrice before — 1978, 1997 and 2013; but it returns at a time when the sport has grown exponentially, with the Women’s Premier League (WPL) teams and some of the top cricketers emerging as big brands.

The onus will then be on Harmanpreet & Co. to set the record straight at home — a factor which can help, but also adds pressure.

Speaking at a 50-day countdown event more than a week back in Mumbai, Raj’s cautious optimism therefore made sense: “We’ve come close twice (2005 and 2017), but never lifted [the cup]. Winning at home would be special, not just for the players but for every fan,” she told the ICC website, highlighting how the victory could inspire future generations of women cricketers.

While Raj’s advice was on the importance of “seizing crucial moments”, Yuvraj Singh — the hero of 2011 Men’s World Cup triumph — feels the focus should be on the process rather than the expectations.

“I feel it’s a great opportunity to create history. But that doesn’t mean that from the start, you think you’re winning it. You have to experience the whole enigma of it. You have to feel that you put in the process, and the results will come,’’ Singh said at the countdown event.

The ODI series win in England could not have come at a better time, of course. It has led to the naming of a strong squad — though Shafali Verma, who was a part of the T20I series against England but left out of the ODI leg, failed to make the cut.

Yastika Bhatia, who didn’t feature in the England ODIs either, does get a place for her impressive performance for India A recently against Australia A, where she guided her team to a 2–1 win in the three-match ODI series, with scores of 59, 66 and 42 respectively.

Breakout stars Pratika Rawal, who has piled up 703 runs in just 14 matches since her debut in December last year, and Kranti Goud, who had a splendid tour of England, picking up six wickets in the third ODI to guide’s series win, are now in line for their maiden Cup appearances this year.

While the top order looks formidable, with Mandhana, Rawal and Deol in place, the middle order — consisting of Jemimah Rodriques, Richa Ghosh and the Kaurs (Harmanpreet and Amanjot) — should give the team much-needed pep. The Indian spin department will be headed by Deepti Sharma and aided by Sneh Rana, along with left-arm spinner Radha Yadav and leg-spinner Sree Charani for a balanced spin attack in home conditions.

Renuka Singh’s return from injury has bolstered India’s pace attack with Goud and Reddy as well.

As for Harmanpreet, this will be her fifth ODI World Cup — and her first as skipper.

India squad for World Cup

• Harmanpreet Kaur (captain)

• Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain)

• Pratika Rawal

• Harleen Deol

• Jemimah Rodrigues

• Richa Ghosh

• Yastika Bhatia

• Renuka Singh Thakur

• Deepti Sharma

• Sneh Rana

• Sree Charani

• Radha Yadav

• Amanjot Kaur

• Arundhati Reddy

• Kranti Gaud

Reserves: Tejal Hasabnis, Prema Rawat, Priya Mishra, Uma Chetry, Minnu Mani, Sayali Satghare.