Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 13 : Aussie legend and former skipper Meg Lanning pointed out that Team India is a "significant challenge to everybody" during the upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup at home.
Defending champions Australia will begin their 2025 World Cup campaign against neighbours New Zealand on October 1 in Indore, while the hosts will take on Sri Lanka in the opening match on September 30 in Guwahati.
Lanning has revealed the teams she believes that have the most chance of winning the upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025.
Australia, who will start as the defending champions, know more than a thing or two about winning trophies, having won seven women's ODI World Cups and are gunning for their eighth title.
While Lanning admitted she would love to see Australia lift the trophy again, the former skipper also pointed out that hosts India could prove to be one of the strongest contenders in the upcoming edition.
"I know Australia has dominated a lot of it, but it's certainly not a foregone conclusion," Lanning said, speaking to ICC Digital as quoted by ICC.
"I would still love Australia to win obviously, but I think India are the main competitors. I think India are a significant challenge to everybody."
"Talent-wise, they are as good as anyone, and I think they are really starting to understand how to win, which probably has been something for them to work on, and I think they are doing that really nicely," she concluded her point.
Lanning had led Australia in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, where they fell short against a spirited India, who themselves went on to narrowly miss their maiden title in the final against England at Lord's.
With five World Cup triumphs as captain - four at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup and the 2022 ODI crown - few understand better than Lanning what it takes to lead from the front and navigate the high-pressure moments in big tournaments.
"They (India) are well led by Harmanpreet Kaur, and there are really good players who have got some good experience now. So I expect them to do well," Lanning added.
"And if they put it together and play well, I do not think anyone can actually get close to them. They are very good," he added.
Since the last Women's World Cup in 2022, India has participated in 35 ODIs, winning 24, losing 10 and one tied. They have participated in 11 bilateral series, winning eight of them. At home, they have won four out of five bilateral series since the last WC. In July, they secured a 2-1 series win over England in ODI series in UK.
Apart from the hosts, Lanning also felt there were other teams that could pull up their socks during the marquee tournament and spring a surprise.
"So you have got England, who are always strong," Lanning noted.
"South Africa ... who have done pretty well at recent World Cups, they seem to be able to get it together when it is important."
"And then, you can never write off New Zealand too. They showed in that T20 World Cup (2024) recently that if you time your run really nicely, then you never know what can happen. So that is the beauty of the game - there is some really good competitive sides out there," she concluded.
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