Australia Women are the reigning Women’s ODI World Cup champions. And unsurprisingly, they are the heavy favourites to win the 2025 edition of the tournament. In between these two ICC tournaments, Australia has lost just 3 out of 36 ODIs.
But in recent times, teams have started to catch up slowly but surely. In fact, they just lost their first ODI in India after 2007 last week. During the same series, Australia also lost by over 100 runs since they first played a 50-over match in 1973.
Although Australia won the last Women’s ODI World Cup played in India in 2013, they aren’t what they used to be. Since Meg Lanning‘s departure, there have been lapses. And this right here might be the time for a new team, barring Australia and England, to break through.
India favourites over Australia
Anjum Chopra, who was part of India’s team that made the 2005 World Cup Final, thinks India can be that disruptor. In an exclusive chat with InsideSport, she labelled the Women in Blue as the favourite. But Anjum doesn’t want them to take any team lightly, and every player must be at their physical and mental best to accomplish it.
“I don’t have any favourites for the ODI World Cup other than India. My hope is that they make an impact and have a good tournament. Whichever team India has to play, it’ll be a challenge. Whether it’s a higher-ranked team like Australia or a lower-ranked team like Bangladesh, it doesn’t matter. This is a World Cup.
As the Indian team, you have to beat every team, and one of the teams you’ll have to beat twice. To get into the World Cup final or win the title, you’ll have to be better than your opponents each day. On those 9 important days (7 group stage matches, semifinal and final), you’ll have to come with your best game and mindset, both as an individual and as a team, to win the title,” Anjum told InsideSport.
Doesn’t matter who India plays in Women’s World Cup Final
The former India skipper reckons it’ll be Harmanpreet Kaur‘s team that lifts the cup on November 2, but who’ll be the other Women’s ODI World Cup finalists? Anjum says it doesn’t matter at all. India’s job is to win the two knockout matches, the semifinal and final, irrespective of who’s on the other side and what colour jersey they are donning.
“It doesn’t matter who the other team is. The Indian team’s job is to get to the semifinal and final. Whoever the opposition, you have to get the better of them; that should be the task. The colour of the opposition’s jersey shouldn’t matter,” Anjum added.
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