Navi Mumbai: In a major last-minute decision, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced that Mumbai will replace Bengaluru as one of the five host cities for next month’s Women’s ODI World Cup, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”
The move follows the M Chinnaswamy Stadium’s failure to secure the necessary administrative and security clearances, which left it ineligible to host matches in the tournament beginning September 30.
The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will now host up to five fixtures, including the tournament opener, a semifinal, and potentially the final on November 2.
“While unforeseen circumstances required us to adjust the schedule and replace a venue, we are pleased to now have a line-up of five world-class venues that will showcase the very best of the women’s game,” ICC Chairman Jay Shah said in a statement.
The exclusion of Bengaluru comes in the aftermath of the June 4 stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives. Following the incident, the venue was deemed “unsuitable and unsafe for mass gatherings” in an inquiry report, and no matches have been held there since. Despite instructions from the BCCI, the Karnataka State Cricket Association was unable to obtain security clearances in time.
The Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram was briefly considered as a replacement before Navi Mumbai was finalized.
The 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup marks India’s hosting of the tournament after 12 years, making it a landmark event. Shah highlighted Navi Mumbai’s growing reputation as a hub for women’s cricket, crediting the strong support during international matches and the Women’s Premier League.
Alongside Navi Mumbai, other confirmed host cities include Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, and Colombo. Colombo will serve as the neutral venue for the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash, as both nations have agreed to avoid bilateral tours and play ICC fixtures at neutral grounds until 2027.
