Even amid the euphoria of India’s historic Women’s ODI World Cup win on Sunday, captain Harmanpreet Kaur sent a subtle yet powerful message to her teammates that the long wait for glory should mark the dawn of a new era. "This is the start. We wanted to break the barrier, and now our next plan is to make it a habit. We were waiting for this moment; now the moment has come," she said in the post-match presentation.
Around the midway mark of the tournament last month, India were staring at a humiliating league-stage exit after losing three consecutive matches. But with their backs against the wall, they showed remarkable resilience, defeating the reigning T20 world champions, New Zealand, to clinch the final semifinal spot. Then, they stunned seven-time winners Australia to reach the final, where they beat South Africa by 52 runs to lift their maiden world title.
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It wasn’t just another win. The title triumph redefined belief and broke barriers, marking a new chapter in Indian women’s cricket. Harmanpreet now wants the historic run to continue as the team begins building toward the next ICC tournament, scheduled for the summer of 2026 in England.
What's next for Indian women's cricket team?
Following the World Cup win, the Indian players will take a long break from international cricket, with no tournament or series scheduled for the team in the remaining two months of 2025. They will next be seen in action for their respective franchises in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026, which is expected to commence in early January, before they regroup for their first international assignment, a tour of Australia. It will get underway in February with a three-match T20I series, marking the beginning of India's preparation for the T20 World Cup in June. This will be followed by three ODIs, where Australia will be aiming to avenge their World Cup semifinal loss, followed by a Day/Night Test in Perth.
{{/usCountry}}Following the World Cup win, the Indian players will take a long break from international cricket, with no tournament or series scheduled for the team in the remaining two months of 2025. They will next be seen in action for their respective franchises in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026, which is expected to commence in early January, before they regroup for their first international assignment, a tour of Australia. It will get underway in February with a three-match T20I series, marking the beginning of India's preparation for the T20 World Cup in June. This will be followed by three ODIs, where Australia will be aiming to avenge their World Cup semifinal loss, followed by a Day/Night Test in Perth.
{{/usCountry}}The tour will be followed by another two months of break, before they regroup for the tour of England, where they will play three T20Is. The white-ball fixture will be crucial, given that it will be India's final preparatory contest for the World Cup, which will be held in England. The ICC tournament is scheduled to begin in June. India will remain in England after the end of the World Cup for a one-off Test against at Lord's in July.
India women's team's schedule -
Tour of Australia (2026):
1st T20I - Sydney, February 15
2nd T20I - Canberra, February 19
3rd T20I - Adelaide, February 21
1st ODI - Brisbane, February 24
2nd ODI - Hobart, February 27
3rd ODI (D/N) - Hobart, March 1
One-off D/N Test - Perth, March 6-9
Tour of England (2026):
1st T20I - Chelmsford, May 26
2nd T20I - Bristol, May 30
3rd T20I - Taunton, June 2
One-off Test - Lord's, July 10-13