Deterrence Revisited
For more than two decades, India’s nuclear doctrine has been treated as a settled matter.
The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 kicked off in grand style with a record-breaking crowd for the opening clash between India and Sri Lanka at the ACA Stadium on Tuesday. Nearly 23,000 fans thronged the venue to witness thrilling cricketing action, dazzling live performances and a moving musical tribute to legendary composer and singer Zubeen Garg.
An official attendance of 22,843 spectators made it the highest-ever turnout for a group-stage fixture at any ICC Women’s event, surpassing the previous best of 15,935 at the India–Pakistan encounter during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Dubai.
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The day began with an emotional musical homage to Assam’s beloved icon, the late Zubeen Garg. Acclaimed musicians Papon, Joi Barua, and the renowned Shillong Chamber Choir performed stirring renditions of his timeless works, moving the home crowd to tears.
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As players took the field, the charged atmosphere continued with soulful renditions of the national anthems—Shreya Ghoshal lending her voice to India’s anthem and Nuwandhika Kumari singing for Sri Lanka.
During the mid-innings break, Shreya Ghoshal returned to perform the official tournament anthem along with a vibrant medley of her hit songs, adding to the celebratory atmosphere.
The BCCI also honoured 16 former Indian women cricketers, including ICC Hall of Famers Diana Eduljee and Neetu David, and former captains Shanta Rangaswamy, Pramila Bhatt, Purnima Rau, Anjum Chopra, and Mithali Raj.
Despite intermittent showers, the stands remained packed, fuelling expectations of even greater turnouts in the upcoming matches of the 31-match tournament, spread across Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam, and Mumbai in India, and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
Many believe this World Cup will be a game-changer for women’s cricket in India, a sentiment echoed by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
“I must acknowledge the strides made in the past few years,” he said. “The Women’s Premier League has been a game-changer, providing a platform, visibility, and financial security that generations of women cricketers could only dream of.
“A lot of credit must go to Jay Shah, who, during his tenure as BCCI secretary, pushed for equal match fees for men and women and laid the foundation for the WPL. These steps may seem administrative on paper, but in reality, they change lives. They tell every aspiring young girl that her passion is valued equally.
“I also want to thank the ICC for announcing record prize money for this tournament, even surpassing that of the men’s World Cup in 2023. Symbolically and practically, it sends a powerful message—that women’s cricket deserves not just applause, but equal respect.”
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