Australia's women's cricket team, aiming for an eighth World Cup title, faces its toughest challenge yet in the upcoming tournament.

Australian captain Alyssa Healy called the upcoming ICC Women's World Cup the "toughest we have ever been a part of," ahead of Australia's title defence. The seven-time champions, who recently beat India 2-1 in a series, aim for an historic eighth title. Healy emphasized the challenge of defeating every top team to win, noting the high level of competition. Other captains, including England's Nat Sciver-Brunt, New Zealand's Sophie Devine, and South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, echoed the tournament's intensity, highlighting strong fields and the importance of taking each game seriously. The round-robin stage begins September 30 in Guwahati, with matches also in Indore, Visakhapatnam, Navi Mumbai, and Colombo.