Australia’s cricket legend Meg Lanning has offered a candid take on the heightened pressure of playing a home World Cup, a challenge that Harmanpreet Kaur and her Indian teammates are about to face at the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Lanning, one of the most successful captains in women’s cricket history, knows this scenario better than most.
She led Australia to its seventh Women’s World Cup title in 2022. She captained the side to four Women’s T20 World Cup victories, including the unforgettable 2020 home triumph over India at the MCG. Speaking to ICC Digital, Meg Lanning reflected on the mental and emotional hurdles of playing under the weight of home expectations.
“There’s definitely a lot of added pressure at a home World Cup. There’s more media, more scrutiny, and very high expectations. It’s an added layer to everything,” she explained.
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She revealed that no amount of planning can truly prepare players for the magnitude of a home tournament, especially when things don’t go smoothly.
“We had that in our home T20 World Cup. The first couple of group games didn’t go our way, and suddenly we were under pressure very quickly,” she said.
Despite Australia’s rocky start in 2020, where they lost to India by 17 runs in the tournament opener after being bowled out for 115, Lanning’s team bounced back spectacularly. They defeated India by 85 runs in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, lifting the trophy in front of their home fans.
Lanning emphasised that while home tournaments bring unparalleled challenges, they also offer unique advantages.
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“You get your home crowd every game, family and friends around, and home comforts. Those are definite positives, but the pressure is something you can’t fully prepare for,” she added. She believes India, as hosts of the upcoming World Cup, will experience the same heightened expectations. “It’s certainly something different and something India will face – that extra layer of pressure,” Meg Lanning said.
The Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 kicks off on September 30, with India facing Sri Lanka in the tournament opener. For Harmanpreet Kaur and her team, Lanning’s insights serve as both a warning and a source of inspiration. If Australia’s 2020 campaign is anything to go by, a shaky start doesn’t define the outcome – resilience does.
