ICC shifts inaugural Women's Champions Trophy 2027 to India
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced India as the new host for the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy. The tournament, originally scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka, will now take place from February 14-28, 2027. The decision comes after government interference in Sri Lanka Cricket led to the shift of hosting rights. Here are further details on the matter.
Event details
Venues and teams participating in the tournament
As per Cricbuzz, the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy will be played at two venues in India: The Cricket Club of India, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium), and Vadodara International Cricket Stadium.
A total of six teams - England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and India - will participate in the tournament.
It will follow a round-robin format with the final scheduled for February 28.
Strategic move
ICC's official statement regarding the shift
The ICC evaluated three potential hosts - Bangladesh, South Africa, and India - before confirming India's selection on September 1.
The decision is seen as a strategic move to promote women's cricket globally.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah welcomed the decision, calling it an "exciting new chapter for women's cricket." He emphasized that this tournament would bring together the world's best teams in a high-quality competition.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka stripped of Women's Champions Trophy hosting rights
Earlier on August 30, Sri Lanka was stripped of its hosting rights for the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy in 2027.
The decision came amid ongoing concerns over the management of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), which is currently being run by a government-appointed Transformation Committee.
The SLC's governance dispute with the International Cricket Council (ICC) stems from government interference in its operations.
Do you know?
Not the first time failing to host an ICC tournament
This isn't the first time Sri Lanka has lost an ICC event. In 2023, SLC was suspended over government interference in sports administration and lost the 2024 ICC Men's Under-19 World Cup to South Africa.