Why the Women's ODI World Cup Is The Opportunity Indian Women’s Cricket is Waiting For

When Diana Edulji, former Indian captain and cricket administrator, recently reflected on India's potential Women's ODI World Cup victory, her words resonated powerfully: "It will change the whole history and geography of women's cricket in this country." 

She wasn't exaggerating. 

The parallels between today's women's cricket landscape and men's cricket's 1983 World Cup watershed are striking. Before India's men lifted that trophy, cricket was a passion but not yet the religion it would become. That single victory transformed not just cricket's popularity but its entire commercial ecosystem. 

Women's cricket stands at precisely this inflection point in 2025, with sponsorship rates surging up to 50% for the upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup and women's cricket searches increasing by 103% in India. 

"People have been expecting this win since 2017, when we narrowly missed it," Edulji noted, highlighting the psychological barriers that have held back the final breakthrough. "Every time, we get it right till the semifinals and then can't cross that line." 

This narrative of "almost there" creates perfect storytelling opportunities for brands. The emotional journey—the near misses, the growing expectations, the hunger for that defining moment—offers rich territory for authentic brand messaging that resonates far beyond typical sports sponsorships. 

In our previous blog, we explored how women's cricket has evolved from a CSR checkbox to a legitimate commercial powerhouse. Today, we're diving deeper into the transformative potential of the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup—an event poised to rewrite cricket's history in ways that extend far beyond the boundary rope. 

Breaking the Mental Block: A Nation Waits 

There's something uniquely compelling about the psychological dimension of this tournament. As Edulji points out, "As of now, we have not been called chokers... But if we cross the line this time, it will be absolutely great." 

This mental block narrative creates perfect storytelling terrain for brands focused on themes of resilience, breakthrough, and perseverance. The women's team carries the weight of several near misses—creating a tension that makes their story more engaging than many established sporting narratives.  

Former batter Sudha Shah reinforces this: "Even the 2017 World Cup, where we lost the finals... that started the viewership, the interest, everything went up from there. Now, if we win it, I think it will skyrocket." 

For brands, this represents the rare opportunity to be part of a genuine inflection point—not just another tournament, but potentially the tournament that changes everything. 

The evolution in media coverage tells its own story about the commercial opportunity here. The 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup delivered nearly double the reach across both TV and digital compared to other content genres, and women's matches attracted 267,000 spectators, breaking the previous record of 136,000 set by the Women's T20 World Cup in 2020. 

This trajectory mirrors what we highlighted in our previous analysis—we're witnessing the same growth curve that men's cricket experienced in its early commercial development phase, but compressed into a much shorter timeframe. 

What's changed most dramatically is that the players themselves have become marketable personalities. "Most of them have become household names across the country," notes Shah. This personalization of the sport creates entirely new avenues for brand partnerships that simply didn't exist five years ago. 

Women's ODI World Cup: A Demographic Gold Mine 

The audience for women's cricket isn't just growing—it's growing among demographics that brands typically struggle to reach authentically. 

The engagement metrics are particularly compelling: these aren't passive viewers but deeply invested fans following complete storylines and seeking out content between matches. The 40% viewership jump is translating into social media engagement, merchandise purchases, and genuine fan communities. 

What makes this audience even more valuable is their perception of brand involvement. Unlike many sports where sponsorship feels purely transactional, brands entering women's cricket are still seen as enablers and supporters of the game's growth—creating authenticity that's increasingly rare in sports marketing. 

With India hosting most matches of the tournament (Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Navi Mumbai, and Indore all hosting games), the commercial opportunity is amplified by home advantage. The upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup has 97% of matches in primetime, maximizing viewership potential. As Shah notes, "There will be pressure on them, playing in front of a home crowd, but I think it's a great opportunity for them to win." 

This home advantage creates multiple touchpoints for brands to engage with fans—not just through broadcast but through in-stadium activations, local events, and community engagement that builds deeper connections with audiences across diverse Indian markets. 

Brands Leading the Way: Strategic Partnerships That Work 

The most successful brands in women's cricket haven't just bought visibility—they've built authentic narratives that align with the sport's growth story and values. 

Google's Pioneering Partnership 

Google's exclusive partnership with ICC Women's cricket demonstrates how technology brands can authentically connect with the sport's forward-thinking audience. By focusing solely on women's cricket rather than splitting between men's and women's tournaments, Google positioned itself as a genuine champion of the women's game, not just a cricket sponsor. This exclusive focus resonates powerfully with audiences who value brands that make meaningful commitments rather than token gestures. 

Unilever's Long-Term Investment 

Unilever has similarly demonstrated the power of sustained commitment through its ICC Women's cricket partnership. Rather than one-off tournament sponsorships, their approach reflects understanding that building equity in women's cricket requires consistency. This long-term vision aligns perfectly with their broader brand purpose around empowerment and equality, creating authentic connections that transcend typical sports sponsorships. 

Hyundai's Global Visibility Strategy 

Hyundai's previous involvement with ICC Women's cricket showcased how automotive brands can leverage the tournament's global reach while supporting gender equality in sports. Their partnership demonstrated that women's cricket offers premium brand association opportunities comparable to men's tournaments, helping break down perceptions about relative commercial value. 

International Success Stories 

Beyond India, international examples provide compelling proof points. In Australia, Commonwealth Bank's long-standing partnership with women's cricket has become synonymous with the sport's growth, while brands like Kia and Rebel Sport have built significant brand equity through sustained investment in the Women's Big Bash League. 

These examples share common threads: authentic alignment with the sport's values, long-term commitment rather than opportunistic involvement, and recognition that women's cricket audiences represent valuable demographics that traditional sports marketing often struggles to reach effectively. 

How Zupotsu Connects Brands to Cricket's Next Chapter 

In this landscape of opportunity, the question isn't whether to invest in women's cricket, but how to do it effectively. This is where Zupotsu's approach makes the critical difference. 

We understand that the most powerful sponsorships aren't about logo placement—they're about finding authentic narrative connections between brands and the stories unfolding on the field. Whether it's aligning with the breakthrough narrative, highlighting player journeys, or tapping into the national pride dimensions, we create partnerships that feel genuine rather than forced. 

We're not just witnessing another sporting event, but potentially watching a moment that will change the whole history and geography of women's cricket. Brands that recognize this opportunity won't just benefit from association with the tournament; they'll become part of a narrative that cricket fans will reference decades from now. 

The window to be an early supporter—to be remembered as a brand that believed in women's cricket before the breakthrough—is closing rapidly. With India currently ranked fourth in the ICC Women's ODI Team Rankings with genuine championship potential, the window for early-stage investment is narrowing rapidly. The question isn't whether women's cricket will have its '1983 moment'—it's whether your brand will be part of that story when it happens. 

Want to discuss how your brand can authentically connect with the Women's cricket narrative? Contact our team to explore partnership opportunities that go beyond traditional sponsorship models. 

Zupotsu is a martech platform on a mission to ‘digitize’ sports marketing. Zupotsu enables the discovery, engagement, and evaluation (the ‘DEE’ framework) for every sports and esports marketing asset. Please sign up at www.zupotsu.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. Reach out at ‘marketing@zupotsu.com’ for any queries.