Mohali: Mullanpur stadium likely to host ICC Women’s ODI World Cup final clash
PCA is likely to clinch eight league matches and the final of the World Cup; along with the Mullanpur stadium, the IS Bindra Mohali Stadium might also get some league matches
Almost a year after of its completion and hosting Indian Premier League (IPL) matches successfully last season, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mullanpur, in all likelihood, is set to host league matches of the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup and also the bumper finale on October 26.
PCA is likely to clinch eight league matches and the final of the World Cup. Along with the Mullanpur stadium, the IS Bindra Mohali Stadium might also get some league matches.
According to sources in the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI), the final schedule of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup will be released shortly and the Mullanpur stadium is set to host several matches, bringing top-notch international women cricketers to the region. The tournament begins on September 29.
It is learnt that Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Raipur and Indore are the other venues. India will be hosting the Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2013, where they exited at the group stage.
India also hosted the women’s T20 World Cup in 2016, when the PCA stadium in Mohali had hosted three matches.The format for the 2025 edition will be the same as in 2022, with eight teams playing a total of 31 matches.
India women’s cricket team have come closest to winning the ODI World Cup when they reached the final in 2005 losing to Australia by 98 runs, and the final against hosts England in 2017, again losing by 9 runs.
Stadium packed with cricket action
The PCA Stadium in Mullanpur is also slated to host a Test match between India and the West Indies in October. With the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup also scheduled in the same month, the BCCI is trying to work out a plan to either adjust the dates and allot the India vs WI Test to PCA or move the Test match to another venue.
From April 5 to April 20, the Mullanpur stadium will also be hosting four Punjab Kings home IPL matches. It may be recalled, the PCA Mullanpur stadium, which can accommodate up to 38,000 spectators, took over a decade to get completed.
