The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially unveiled the India A women’s squad for the upcoming warm-up matches ahead of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. The announcement comes as cricket enthusiasts worldwide prepare for the 13th edition of the marquee tournament, which promises to be a thrilling spectacle co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2, 2025.
The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 marks a significant milestone in women’s cricket, returning to the Indian subcontinent after a gap of 12 years. This prestigious tournament will feature eight elite teams competing for cricket’s ultimate prize, with defending champions Australia looking to extend their dominance. The tournament represents the fourth time India will host the women’s World Cup, following successful editions in 1978, 1997, and 2013, while Sri Lanka will be hosting the event for the first time.
Tournament format and strategic warm-up schedule
The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 will follow a comprehensive single round-robin format, where each of the eight participating teams will face every other team once during the group stage. The top four teams from this round-robin phase will advance to the semi-finals, creating an intensely competitive environment where every match carries significant weight. The tournament will culminate with the final scheduled for November 2, with venues rotating between Bengaluru and Colombo depending on qualification scenarios.
The warm-up matches have been strategically scheduled from September 25 to September 28, providing teams with crucial preparation time before the main tournament commences. These practice games will be held across four venues – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, along with R. Premadasa Stadium and Colombo Cricket Club in Sri Lanka. The warm-up fixtures serve a dual purpose: allowing teams to fine-tune their combinations while providing selectors with a final opportunity to assess player form and fitness levels.
BCCI’s strategic India A squad for New Zealand challenge
In a carefully crafted selection strategy, the BCCI has named a formidable India A women’s squad under the captaincy of Minnu Mani, who brings valuable international experience to the leadership role. The squad includes several notable players who are also part of the standby list for the main World Cup team, ensuring seamless integration if required. The selection showcases a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talents, with players like Shafali Verma bringing explosive batting prowess despite missing the main World Cup squad.
This squad will face New Zealand in their warm-up encounter on September 25 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru. The match represents a crucial opportunity for these players to showcase their capabilities and potentially earn last-minute consideration for the main tournament. With the World Cup featuring neutral venue arrangements for certain matches and comprehensive broadcast coverage across multiple platforms, the India A team’s performance will be closely monitored by selectors and cricket enthusiasts alike.
India A squad: Shafali Verma, Dhara Gujjar, D Vrinda, Raghvi Bist, Nadnini Kashyap (wk), Tanusree Sarkar, Tejal Hasabnis, Minnu Mani (c), Prema Rawat, Tanuja Kanwar, Priya Mishra, Sayali Satghare, Saima Thakor, and Titas Sadhu.
India A Women squad for playing the warmup game against NZ. Spin heavy
Shafali Verma
Dhara Gujjar
D Vrinda
Raghvi Bist
Nadnini Kashyap (wk)
Tanusree Sarkar
Tejal Hasabnis
Minnu Mani (c)
Prema Rawat
Tanuja Kanwar
Priya Mishra
Sayali Satghare
Saima Thakor
Titas Sadhu— Krishna Kumar (@KrishnaKRM) September 24, 2025
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
