DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) — West Indies will open against India in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on the 31st of January.

The ICC yesterday released the schedule and format of the Women’s World Cup, to be held in Mumbai from January 31 to February 17, 2013.

The Caribbean cricketers will also play against Sri Lanka on February 4, and holders England on February 6 in group A preliminaries.

Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa make up the other group.

The top eight women’s sides in the world will battle it out to be crowned ICC Women’s World Cup champion across five venues.

The eight teams have been divided into two groups of four, with the top three progressing into the Super Sixes stage of the tournament.

“The ICC Women’s World Cup is the pinnacle of women’s cricket and to have India hosting the top eight women’s sides in the one-day format is a real boost to women’s cricket in this part of the world”, said ICC President Alan Isaac.

“This will be the third time that India has staged the Women’s World Cup but this could be by far the most significant. I feel that we are on the verge of a massive sea change in the women’s game and where better for that to take place than in the great city of Mumbai.”

Beaten finalist at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 in Australia was New Zealand and it opens its campaign against South Africa, also at Wankhede Stadium on February 1 .

The ICC’s official broadcast partner Star Cricket will broadcast 10 of those 25 matches in high definition. The 10 matches that will be broadcast will be a selection of those played at the Wankhede Stadium and the Cricket Club of India, including of course the final on February 17.

“We are delighted to be hosting the ICC Women’s World Cup and hope all the teams are looking forward to taking part in an exciting tournament here in India,” Tournament Director, Suru Nayak said.

“The tournament will be played in the city of Mumbai, which holds a special place in the history of the sport. The world’s leading female cricketers will display their skills on grounds where some of the greatest cricketers of all time have practically grown up.”

A total of 25 matches will be played across five venues in Mumbai — Wankhede Stadium, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Cricket Club of India (CCI), Middle Income Group Club Ground (MIG) and DY Patil Stadium — with CCI scheduled to host the final of the tournament on February 17 in a day/night ODI.