Women's ODI World Cup: Branding Opportunities for the New Generation

Five years ago, partnering with women's cricket felt like doing the right thing—brands backed it for gender equality, making their corporate social responsibility reports shine. The story was simple: support women athletes because it's the decent thing to do.

Today? That view seems almost quaint.

Women's cricket isn't charity work anymore—it's become one of the smartest plays in sports marketing, but you need to really understand the game to win big. What's happening now isn't just growth—it's the same shift we saw in men's cricket twenty years back. The signs are everywhere if you're watching: viewership numbers climbing fast, fans getting seriously invested, and real money starting to flow. For marketers who get it, this isn't just an opportunity—it's the kind of chance that changes everything. 

Today's Women's Cricket = Men's Cricket Circa 2000s 

Look at women's cricket now and you'll see men's cricket from the early 2000s—right before everything exploded. Back then, T20 cricket completely changed the men's game, bringing in new crowds and massive commercial deals. Women's cricket is hitting that same sweet spot, especially with the upcoming ODI World Cup creating serious buzz. 

The ICC just dropped the warm-up schedules for the Women's Cricket World Cup 2025. What we realise is teams like Australia, England, and India aren't just cricket powerhouses anymore—they're becoming the kind of properties brands actually fight over to reach engaged fans. 

Here's what the numbers show: women's cricket viewership jumped 40% this past year. That's the kind of growth most sports would kill for. But this isn't people just having it on in the background—these fans are all in, following every match, every story. What makes these fans so valuable is how they engage. They're not casual viewers flipping channels—they're invested. They follow players on social media, join discussions, and hunt for content between matches. They want more than just the game. 

Plus, this audience hits demographics that brands struggle to reach authentically through traditional sports marketing. They're younger, increasingly well-off, and show genuine loyalty to brands that represent them properly. 

The old approach of treating women's sports like charity work is done. Today's female cricket fans have real buying power and stick with brands that get them right. They're not just asking for more cricket content—they're demanding it, which creates perfect conditions for brands to build something lasting. 

2025 Women’s ODI Squad: The New Team India

 

The Indian women's cricket team has everything marketers dream about: rising popularity, incredible stories, and clear ways for brands to get involved. The official 2025 World Cup squad reflects this perfectly. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead as captain, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain, ensuring both stability and star power at the top.

The squad also highlights the kinds of storylines brands can authentically tap into: 

• Comeback stories: Renuka Singh Thakur returns from injury to spearhead India’s pace attack. 

• Setbacks and resilience: Shafali Verma, once a poster child for India’s batting, has been dropped from the squad after a dip in form—yet selectors have emphasized her future remains bright. 

• New heroes: Pratika Rawal’s meteoric rise since her debut, with 700+ runs at an average above 50, makes her the breakout star to watch. 

  
  

  

For marketers, this blend of proven leaders and fresh faces creates rich branding opportunities. Stories of resilience, reinvention, and breakthrough talent resonate strongly with fans—and brands that align with these narratives can position themselves as champions of progress and possibility. 

Zupotsu is making it easier for sports marketers and brands to connect with these rising stars, creating partnerships that actually make sense and help amplify messages through athletes who genuinely connect with fans. 

The ODI World Cup: Branding and Content Opportunities

The Women's ODI World Cup gives brands an incredible canvas for storytelling. Unlike oversaturated men's tournaments, there's still room here for brands to own unique narratives and make real impact. 

Every player brings fascinating stories—training journeys, personal battles, career highs and lows. Recent coverage of Alyssa Healy's take on the tournament's toughest competitors shows just how rich these storylines can be. These player insights give fans genuine windows into the competitive side of women's cricket. 

National pride stories remain largely untapped, especially as teams prepare for big matches with strategic series to build World Cup momentum. These preparation stories create natural content opportunities. 

What makes these stories work is their authenticity. Women's cricket hasn't been overcommercialized yet—there's real genuineness in player journeys and team dynamics that connects with audiences wanting authentic experiences.

 

Why Now Is the Time to Invest in Women’s Cricket 

• Relatively Lower Investment with Strong Returns: Investing in women’s cricket now makes financial sense because partnership costs are still lower than in men’s cricket, and the returns on investment are higher before the market becomes crowded. Brands that move early can take advantage of many available sponsorship opportunities that offer real commercial value and strong engagement. 

• Shape the Narrative: Early investors help shape how people view the sport and become a part of its growth story instead of joining later. Players and fans remember those who supported them from the start. With the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 attracting wider attention beyond traditional fans, brands entering now can build meaningful connections before sponsorship costs rise and opportunities become limited. 

The opportunity in women's cricket isn't about looking good in boardroom presentations—though that's a nice bonus. It's about recognizing a legitimate commercial opportunity that most people are still missing. Smart marketers aren't jumping in because it makes their CSR reports look good. They're investing because the numbers work, the engagement metrics are solid, and getting in first gives them huge advantages. 

With the Women's ODI World Cup approaching, the question isn't whether brands should invest here—it's whether they can afford to sit this out. In five years, when women's cricket sponsorships cost premium prices and exclusivity is nearly impossible to secure, today's hesitation will feel like a massive missed opportunity.