The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced significant changes to the global cricket calendar following a high-profile board meeting held in Ahmedabad. This crucial gathering took place just before the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, May 31. The meeting, which saw participation from representatives of all major cricket boards, was chaired by Jay Shah. Several landmark decisions were made during this session, particularly focusing on the future of women's cricket and the scheduling of major upcoming tournaments like the Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup.
Rescheduling of the Women's Champions Trophy 2027
One of the primary outcomes of the ICC board meeting was the revision of the schedule for the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy. While the ICC had previously announced last year that an 8-team Champions Trophy for women would be introduced, similar to the men's format, the original window for the 2027 edition was set for June and July. However, after deliberations in Ahmedabad, the board decided to shift this window. The tournament is now scheduled to take place in February 2027, specifically from February 14 to February 28. Unlike the men's Champions Trophy, which is traditionally played in the One Day International (ODI) format, the women's version will be played in the T20 format.
India-Pakistan Matches and the 2028 T20 World Cup
Another major announcement concerned the Women's T20 World Cup 2028, which is slated to be hosted by Pakistan. Given the ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, the ICC has made a definitive ruling regarding the Indian team's participation, while it has been clarified that the Indian women's team won't travel to Pakistan for their matches. Instead, all of India's fixtures will be held at neutral venues, while this decision follows a pattern of cricketing relations between the two nations; for instance, the Indian team didn't visit Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025, and the Pakistani teams didn't travel to India for the previous year's Women's ODI World Cup or this year's Men's T20 World Cup.
Launch of the Women's Emerging Nations Trophy
In a move to further expand the reach of women's cricket, the ICC is set to launch a brand-new tournament this year called the Women's Emerging Nations Trophy. This tournament will also be played in the T20 format. The ICC board has finalized the structure for this event, which will feature 10 teams in total. To ensure a balance between established and developing cricketing nations, the board decided that the competition will include 5 teams from Full Member nations and 5 teams from Associate Member nations. This initiative is seen as a significant step toward nurturing talent across a broader spectrum of countries within the international cricket community.