Could 2025 Women’s World Cup be closest one yet? Maybe, but Alyssa Healy’s Australia remain overwhelming favourites

A more pointed indication of how good Australia have been in this format lies in their win-loss record since the end of the last World Cup in 2022. In 31 matches, they have lost just four for a W/L ratio of 6.500. The next best in this period are the world No 2 and No 3 sides, England and India (both 2.083, with 25 wins and 12 losses). The other five teams in the tournament – South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka – have lost more matches than they have won (W/L ratio less than 1.000).

But rewinding a bit further back, one can see why there is a consensus that this World Cup could still be the tightest one yet. In the previous World Cup cycle (between 2017 and 2022), Australia’s W/L ratio was a whopping 20.000 (40 wins in 42 matches), with the next best being South Africa’s 2.750. There is also not much to separate the top three teams in terms of scoring rates since the last World Cup, with Australia leading the way at 5.86 runs per over, followed by England at 5.75 and India at 5.64. In fact, since 2024, India have scored at 5.91 runs per over, compared to Australia’s 5.82 and England not far behind at 5.66.

“Every team in this World Cup has an equal chance to win, which shows how much we have raised the standard of women’s cricket,” Harmanpreet Kaur said at the captains’ meet. Alyssa Healy is aware of the challenge ahead for her side too. “Defending a title is not easy. I think every team is here to win the World Cup. We know what we need to do to try and achieve that. You have to beat every single side in the world to lift that trophy, which is really exciting. We’re really looking forward to that challenge. I believe this is going to be the toughest World Cup we’ve ever been a part of. Australia has a rich history in this format and in World Cups, but I think every single team is going to be tough to beat,” the Australian captain said.

As things stand, there is perhaps a clear top three in terms of pecking order, so it is hard to see any of Australia, England and India missing out on the semifinals. In a format where all teams play each other, even an upset here or there is unlikely to cause too much upheaval in the final standings – as we saw with Afghanistan in the men’s 2023 World Cup. The cream, inevitably, rises to the top. The battle for the fourth spot, however, is likely to be fascinating with South Africa and New Zealand – the reigning T20 World Champions – in contention. With Sri Lanka also having a home advantage in Colombo, they could be in the mix. But the three knockout games in the end, after nearly a month of league action, will be where real test is for the contenders. Australia just know how to win — an intangible that you can quantify.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt had an interesting choice of words in her pre-tournament column for ICC. She said the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup could be a game-changer for women’s cricket. “Whether we’re there or not, you do get the feeling this could be a seismic moment for the women’s game,” she wrote.

There has been a sense of an Indian boom waiting to happen in women’s cricket for some time now. In the tournaments that really matter – the senior ICC global events – success has been elusive. And primarily, that’s been because of Australia’s sheer dominance. For England too, Australia have proved a constant thorn in the flesh in recent times, but with Sciver-Brunt as one of the best batters in the world leading the charge and Sophie Ecclestone as the well-established No 1 bowler in the format more than capable of spearheading a spin-attack, England too will be in the mix. Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt would each be hoping their teams can be there on November 2, and be able to cause that big ‘seismic moment’. But make no mistake, Australia remain the overwhelming favourites.