India women to play white-ball series against West Indies, Ireland in December-January

New Delhi: The India women’s cricket team will be playing white-ball games against West Indies and Ireland from December 15 to January 15, 2025, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday. West Indies last toured India in November 2016, when they won the T20I series 3-0, while India emerged victorious in ODIs by the same margin in Vijayawada, the BCCI informed in a statement on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Ireland will be playing a bilateral ODI series against India for the first time. Their previous meeting has been in T20 World Cups, where India won on both occasions, the statement said.

The white-ball matches will be played after India return from their three-match ODI tour of Australia, taking place in Brisbane and Perth from December 5-11. India will begin with a three-match T20I series against West Indies at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

The three T20Is will be held on December 15, 17, and 19 at 7 pm local time. It is followed by three ODIs between India and the West Indies in Baroda on December 22, 24, and 27, with the last game to start at 9:30 am local time.

After a short break to ring in the New Year, India will take on Ireland in a three-match ODI series in Rajkot on January 10, 12, and 15, with a start time of 11 am. India’s ODI series against West Indies and Ireland are a part of the ongoing 2022-2025 ICC Women’s Championship cycle.

The cycle will determine who secures automatic qualification for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India. With India qualifying automatically as hosts, England, defending champions Australia and South Africa have also secured their automatic qualification for the mega event, with two spots still up for grabs.

West Indies are currently in eighth place in the table, with 14 points from 18 games. Apart from ODIs against India, they also have three 50-over games against Bangladesh, which brightens their chances of gaining automatic qualification for the ODI World Cup ahead of New Zealand.

–IANS