India will begin their campaign at the 2022 Women’s World Cup on 6th February against Pakistan at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui in New Zealand.

India will play seven league matches against Pakistan, New Zealand, West Indies, England, Australia, Bangladesh and South Africa.

The top-four after a single round-robin league stage will progress to the semi-finals.

India will be led by skipper Mithali Raj - the highest run-getter in the history of women’s ODIs and a veteran of five World Cup campaigns with 2022 being her sixth.

Harmanpreet Kaur is the vice-captain of the team while the experienced Jhulan Goswami will spearhead the bowling attack. Goswami, who has 36 wickets at the World Cup, is four wickets away from having the most wickets at Women’s World Cups.

The trio’s form will be a major factor in determining India’s fortunes at the World Cup, where they have twice reached the final - in 2005 and 2017 - but been unable to cross the hurdle.

India at the Women’s World Cup

This is India’s 10th appearance at the Women’s World Cup.

Their first World Cup match came against England in the 1978 edition under India’s first World Cup captain, the legendary Diana Edulji. The team ended up losing all three of their matches and finished last in that edition.

India’s first World Cup victory came in 1982, when they beat an International XI. They won three matches against the team at the 1982 World Cup and also notched a win over England to finish fourth.

The 1997 World Cup at home was memorable for India as they made their first-ever semi-final but lost to eventual champions Australia.

A certain Mithali Raj made her World Cup bow in the 2000 edition, where India made the semis but again fell to the eventual champions New Zealand.

Led by captain Mithali Raj and armed with a new bowling sensation in Jhulan Goswami, India seemed to have broken their jinx when they made the final of the 2005 World Cup. However, they fell short against Australia.

After finishing third in 2009 and seventh in 2013, India came close to the trophy in 2017. Wins over England, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the league stage carried them to the semis.

Harmanpreet Kaur then played one of the brutal innings in cricket with a scarcely believable 171* in the semi-final against Australia to take India to the final against England.

England put up 228/7 on the board and despite losing their three most important batters in Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur early, India were motoring along at 191-3 in 42 overs.

However, opener Punam Raut fell in the 43rd over and it triggered a collapse as India folded for 219, just nine runs short of the target.

Only three teams - Australia, England and New Zealand - have won the Women’s World Cup in history.

It has been a five-year long wait for the World Cup and we cannot wait to cheer hard for the Indian team.