Women's Champions Trophy 2027 rescheduled to February: Here's why
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rescheduled the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy 2027, from June-July to a two-week window in February. The tournament will be hosted by Sri Lanka and will feature eight teams playing in a T20 format. The event is now scheduled to take place from February 14-28, as per an official ICC statement.
Potential clash
Clash with Australia-New Zealand series
The new schedule for the Women's Champions Trophy 2027 could clash with the Australia-New Zealand series. The latter is set to take place from February 27 to March 7, which means there will be a partial overlap with the women's tournament. Cricket Australia has been informed about this change and is currently weighing its options.
Tournament trial
New format for Women's Emerging Nations Trophy
The ICC will also trial a new format of the Women's Emerging Nations Trophy this year. The 10-team tournament will feature five Full Members and five Associate Members, selected based on rankings. Thailand had won the inaugural eight-team event last year, which was contested by top Associate sides.
Future planning
2028 Women's T20 WC qualification pathway approved
The ICC Board has also approved the qualification pathway for the 2028 Women's T20 World Cup. Pakistan will host the event, with India's matches to be played at a neutral venue as part of a hybrid model agreement. Automatic qualifiers include the top eight teams from this month's England event, hosts Pakistan, and next highest-ranked teams in women's T20I rankings as of July 6, 2026.
Suspension details
ICC suspends Cricket Canada over serious breaches
In another development, the ICC has suspended Cricket Canada from its membership due to "serious breaches of its membership obligations." The decision comes after reports of administrative issues and corruption investigations within Cricket Canada over the past 18 months. However, the ICC has assured that this suspension will not affect Canadian players or player programs.