The International Cricket Council has announced that India will host the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy from February 14 to 28, with matches scheduled in Mumbai and Vadodara. Sri Lanka was originally slated to host but was replaced due to ongoing governance issues in its cricket board. Six top women's teams will compete in this landmark tournament.
Newly appointed India captain Smriti Mandhana has maintained her position as the world's top batter in the ICC women's ODI rankings. The latest charts also show other Indian players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma featuring prominently across ODI and T20I batting, bowling, and all-rounder rankings, with India's teams holding third place in both T20I and ODI formats.
Indian cricketers Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Sree Charani, and Shafali Verma have been shortlisted for the ICC Men's and Women's Player of the Month awards for September, recognising their exceptional performances in recent international matches.
Indian opener Shafali Verma has risen to fourth in the ICC Women's T20I Batting Rankings following her maiden T20I century at the Asian Games. Other Indian players like Shree Charani and Deepti Sharma maintain top bowling positions, while Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma also achieved career-best rankings. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur hold positions in the top 10 batting rankings.
Sri Lanka Cricket is set to lose an estimated USD 20 million in revenue after the ICC stripped it of the hosting rights for the 2027 Women's Champions Trophy.
India captain Shubman Gill and opener Shafali Verma have been named ICC Men's and Women's Player of the Month, respectively, for October. Gill received the award for the fifth time following his stellar performance in the ODI series against the West Indies, while Verma was recognised for her impressive show in the Asia Cup and Asian Games, marking her second win.
India's new captain Smriti Mandhana is set to lead the women's team in a T20I series against Zimbabwe, marking a new era. She aims to elevate the team's professionalism, power-hitting, and fielding, while fostering a strong team culture. Mandhana also highlighted the importance of Harmanpreet Kaur's experience and praised deputy Shafali Verma's growth, as the team prepares for the ICC Women's Champions Trophy 2027.
Mandhana's rating of 811 points did not change this week, while Wolvaardt dropped eight points from 814 to 806 after South Africa's victory over Ireland.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is actively pursuing a strategy to expand cricket in China, leveraging the sport's recent inclusion in the Olympics. Plans include establishing a Centre of Excellence, supporting a Tier 2 event, and promoting women's cricket, with significant investment and collaboration with the Chinese Cricket Association to embed the sport deeper into the country's sporting system.
Harmanpreet Kaur's career has been defined by landmark innings, record-breaking longevity and milestones that have mirrored the rise of Indian women's cricket.
In the last decade, only two Women's World Cups (in 2020 and 2023) managed to generate profits.
Cricket South Africa has revised the India women's team tour schedule to include three T20Is, a Test, and three ODIs, extending the tour until December 30.
Leading Australian women cricketers and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) are urging Cricket Australia (CA) to schedule more matches during the peak summer months, arguing the current calendar is hindering the team's growth and missing opportunities to build on the sport's development.
Shree Charani set a new T20I bowling rating record with 817 points, while Smriti Mandhana returned to the batting top five after starring in India's Asian Games triumph.
Harmanpreet Kaur, India's only World Cup-winning women's cricket captain, has stepped down from her leadership role across all three formats, stating she is now 'ready to play for the love of the game again' after fulfilling her duty as a leader.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a series of changes to its Playing Conditions, effective from October 1, 2024, aimed at improving game pace, standardising ball specifications, and clarifying fielding rules. These updates include penalties for time-wasting batters, tighter ball tolerances for women's cricket, and a trial for pink balls in daytime Test matches.
Indian women's cricket team vice-captain Shafali Verma stated the team's goal to play fearless and smart cricket in preparation for the Women's Champions Trophy early next year. The team will face Zimbabwe in a T20 series, part of their preparations, followed by ODIs.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved the use of pink balls in day-time Test matches on a trial basis, aiming to mitigate the frequent loss of overs due to fading light in the final session. This decision, applicable to series starting from October 1, allows for mutual agreement between teams to use the pink ball for the entire duration of a Test.
Indian spinner Shree Charani has maintained her top position in the ICC Women's T20I Player Rankings with a career-best 804 rating points, while compatriot Deepti Sharma has risen four places to second, following their stellar performances in the Women's T20 Asia Cup.
The ICC Player Protection Programme, in partnership with AI moderator Freedom2hear, is actively shielding women cricketers from social media abuse. Over 100 players, including India's Radha Yadav and England's Amy Jones, have joined the initiative, which has already removed nearly 60,000 harmful comments during the ongoing T20 World Cup, ensuring player well-being and confident fan engagement.
India women's team seamer Kranti Gaud has been fined 10 per cent of her match fee and received one demerit point by the ICC for breaching the Code of Conduct during the T20 Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. Gaud was penalised for an aggressive gesture after dismissing a batter. Separately, the Pakistan women's team was fined for a slow overrate in their semifinal match.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reaffirmed its commitment to the Development Pathway Programme for Afghan refugee women cricketers, setting an ambitious target for the team to compete in the governing body's qualification pathway by 2030.
Indian women's cricket team top-order batter Punam Raut announced her retirement from all forms of international cricket on Thursday. The 37-year-old played four Tests, 73 ODIs, and 35 T20Is for India, highlighting her career with a record-breaking ODI partnership and participation in the 2017 Women's ODI World Cup.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the Indian women's cricket team for winning the gold medal at the Asian Games. Shah praised their "bedazzling" performance and "unmatched cricketing prowess" after they defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final held in Japan.
The India vs Pakistan match in the Women's T20 World Cup created a new record as the most-attended group-stage game in the history of the ICC Women's World Cup.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has withdrawn Sri Lanka's hosting rights for the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy in 2027, citing government interference in Sri Lanka Cricket's administration. This decision, stemming from the presence of a government-appointed Transformation Committee, could also jeopardise the Sri Lankan women's team's participation and will have financial implications for the board.
India's young left-arm spinner Sree Charani has risen to the top of the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings after an impressive start to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
Indian women's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur maintained the BCCI's 'No Handshake' policy with Pakistan's Fatima Sana at the toss of their T20 World Cup match, a policy reportedly initiated after a terror attack and military operation last year.
Harmanpreet Kaur ended her India captaincy after a historic nine-year tenure, highlighted by the 2025 Women's World Cup triumph, two Asian Games gold medals and record 155 T20I appearances.
Nandni Sharma surged 38 places after her three-wicket haul against Thailand, while Chamari Athapaththu reached career-best ratings in batting, bowling and all-round performance.
The Bangladesh women's cricket team has advanced to the semi-finals of the 2026 Asian Games after their quarter-final match against China was abandoned due to a wet outfield.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has been fined 10 per cent of her match fee and received one demerit point for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the Women's Asia Cup match against India, after gesturing towards opener Shafali Verma upon her dismissal.
The International Cricket Council, UNICEF UK, and England and Wales Cricket Board are collaborating to host a special matchday takeover at Lord's during the Women's T20 World Cup 2026. The event, featuring England vs West Indies, aims to raise 100,000 for UNICEF's global children's projects and will include actor Nabhaan Rizwan and former pacer Isa Guha.
Australian cricket legend Ellyse Perry has lauded Indian superstars Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, highlighting Mandhana's "incredible willpower" and "super-strong mind," and Kaur's "tenacity." Perry also expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming ICC Women's Champions Trophy and reflected on the evolving landscape of women's cricket.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced new post-pregnancy return-to-play guidelines for women cricketers, aiming to ensure their safe and sustainable comeback to the sport. Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has lauded these guidelines as a significant step towards empowering female athletes globally.
Pakistan have been fined five per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against India in their Group A match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup played at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday.
Indian head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged the absence of 'clutch player' Jemimah Rodrigues due to injury for the Women's Asia Cup but emphasised the team's strong hunger for success in upcoming tournaments, including the Asia Cup and Asian Games.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is set to bring together the world's top teams for a month of fast-paced, high-stakes cricket, as they compete for the biggest prize in the shortest format of the game.
Smriti Mandhana's tally of 747 runs was the highest among leading run-scorer in Women's ODIs in 2024.
In a 40-minute special presentation during the inaugural ceremony, prominent artistes of the state will present the musical tribute.
