ICC Women’s Championship - State of Play ahead of 2025 World Cup
With two automatic qualification spots for next year's World Cup in India still up for grabs, the final set of matches in the ongoing cycle offers teams a chance at a final push.
With the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 nearing, the stakes are higher than ever in the ICC Women’s Championship with automatic qualification in next year’s event still up for grabs.
Featuring 10 teams and contested between 2022 and 2025, the third edition of the ICC Women's Championship is to determine the initial qualifications for the 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup in addition to hosts India. Each side plays eight three-match ODI series and at the end of them, the top five-ranked sides (barring India) in the points table shall earn a ticket to the pinnacle event of the format.
Australia, England and India - occupying the top-three places in the points table in that order - are part of a three-way race for top spot in the Women's Championship, with the reigning ODI champions (Australia) still with five matches left to play.
While Australia and England have already qualified for the World Cup, South Africa - currently placed fourth in the points table - are also through, having defeated England in the opening match of their three-game home series.
In the middle of the table, there's a tussle between Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Bangladesh and West Indies for the remaining two automatic qualification spots.
Women's Championship Standings
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Here’s a look at the each team’s chances ahead of the remaining contests in the current cycle:
First - Australia - 30 points
Remaining matches: India (home, two ODIs) and New Zealand (away, three ODIs)
Best possible finish: 40 points
The current Women's Cricket World Cup champions have maintained their dominance in the 50-over format since their win in the last edition in 2022. Sitting at the top of the points table, Australia have only lost three ODIs in the cycle.
With a resounding win in the opening ODI against India, the reigning champions have set the tone for the remainder of the three-match series.
In order to clinch their third successive Women’s Championship, Australia will need to finish the ongoing cycle on a winning note, with arch-rivals England breathing down their neck, just two points behind.
Second - England - 28 points
Remaining matches: South Africa (away, two ODIs)
Best possible finish: 32 points
England's chances of taking over the top spot have further taken a hit, following Australia's commanding win over India in the first ODI.
They now find themselves two points behind Australia, having lost their opening match against South Africa.
The remaining matches against the Proteas give England a chance to overcome the deficit and pip Australia to the top spot. However, they will rely on favorable results from India, who have eight remaining games in the current cycle and a better chance of finishing above as well.
Third - India - 25 points
Remaining matches: Australia (away, two matches), West Indies (home, three matches), and Ireland (home, three matches)
Best possible finish: 41 points
A 2-1 win against New Zealand in their last series at home helped India overtake South Africa for the third spot in the Women’s Championship points table.
With India starting off on the backfoot, having lost the first ODI against Australia, Harmanpreet Kaur's side will look to find the rhythm to win their remaining fixtures to have a chance of outshining the current table toppers.
Two ODIs remain in their current series Down Under, following which India have a chance to claim more points in the three-match home series against West Indies and Ireland.
Fourth - South Africa - 25 points
Remaining matches: England (home, two matches)
Best possible finish: 29 points
A 3-0 clean sweep at the hands of India earlier this year put the Proteas out of contention for top spot, although they have already qualified for next year’s World Cup.
Their last assignment in the current cycle will see them lock horns against England at home and they made a great start to that series with an impressive six-wicket triumph at Kimberley.
Having lost in the preceding T20I series, the Proteas will look to finish the year and their ICC World Championship campaign on a strong note.
Fifth - Sri Lanka - 22 points
No remaining matches
A stunning 2-1 series defeat in Ireland back in August meant that Sri Lanka’s fate now rests upon other teams.
Although they currently occupy one of the two remaining automatic qualification spots for next year’s World Cup, with New Zealand, West Indies, and Bangladesh all having remaining matches, Sri Lanka need a string of favorable results to avoid the long road to next year’s tournament.
Sixth - New Zealand - 20 points
Remaining matches - Australia (home, three ODIs)
Best possible finish - 26 points
Following their maiden ICC Women's T20 World Cup triumph, the White Ferns were handed a setback in the ICC Women’s Championship with a 2-1 series loss in India.
With their only remaining assignment of the current championship slated against the mighty Aussies, New Zealand’s chances of an automatic qualification seem thin.
Having hosted the last World Cup back in 2022, New Zealand may also have to feature in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier scheduled for early 2025, with the host nation yet to be announced.
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Seventh - Bangladesh - 19 points
Remaining matches - West Indies (away, three matches)
Best possible finish - 25 points
After a recent 3-0 series sweep against Ireland, Bangladesh have emerged as one of the favorites to seal automatic qualification.
Trailing by just one and three points to the Black Ferns and Sri Lanka respectively, Bangladesh stand a chance to overtake the two with a three-match series against a lower-ranked West Indies side remaining in the cycle.
Eighth - Pakistan - 17 points
No remaining matches
With only one win from their last nine matches in the Championship, Pakistan’s chances of an early ticket were all but done.
In their last series of the ongoing cycle, England managed a comfortable 2-0 win at home. A bigger upset, though, had come back in April, when Pakistan were thrashed 3-0 at home against the West Indies.
Ninth - West Indies - 14 points
Remaining matches - India (away, three matches), Bangladesh (home, three matches)
Best possible finish - 26 points
Despite teetering at the bottom of the table, only above Ireland, West Indies still have a chance of making it to the top six with six games still left to be played.
If the Windies can manage at least one win from their three-match series in India, and take all the points from a home series against Bangladesh, they will win an automatic qualification.
Tenth - Ireland - 8 points
Remaining matches - India (away, three matches)
Best possible finish - 14 points
Already out of contention, having won just three of their 16 matches in the ongoing cycle, Ireland will face another tough challenge on the back of a 3-0 whitewash in Bangladesh.
The Ireland side will travel to India for a three-match series in January to cap off their maiden Women’s Championship campaign.