New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced its Futures Tour Program or FTP for the next four years (2025-2029). A total of 400 matches of ICC events will be played in these four years. Along with this, ICC also announced a new tournament for women’s cricket for the first time. However, this competition has been played for men’s cricket for years. In fact, ICC has added the Champions Trophy for women’s cricket for the first time in its FTP. Earlier this competition was in men’s cricket only. The upcoming Men’s Champions Trophy is going to be held in Pakistan next year. In such a situation, ICC is also very excited for the Champions Trophy to be held for women for the first time.
How is ICC’s program for women’s cricket?
According to ICC’s FTP, the Indian women’s team will host Australia and England for the home series. Apart from these two big teams, India will also host Bangladesh and Zimbabwe during this period. Zimbabwe recently joined the FTP as its 11th member. The Indian women’s team will also tour New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland and South Africa in these four years. In FTP, each member country has to play four series each at its home ground and at the home of the other team.
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Apart from this, the Indian team will play a triangular series with England and New Zealand before the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026. England will host the Women’s T20 World Cup. ICC General Manager of Cricket Wasim Khan said, ‘Member countries have demanded to play more Test matches in this FTP. Australia, England, India, South Africa and West Indies have all agreed to play multi-format, including ODI and T20 Internationals.
Multi format series for Australia and India
Wasim Khan said, ‘Australia will play maximum such series. During this period, the Australian team will play two series each against England, India and South Africa and one series against the West Indies. ICC members have also included the Tricolor Series in this cycle with mutual consent. The FTP also outlined the programs for the fourth season of the ICC Women’s Championship. 11 teams have been given place in it for the Women’s Cricket World Cup to be held in 2029. This is one more than the 10 teams involved in the current cycle.
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The ICC Women’s Championship rankings determine the teams for the Women’s World Cup. Wasim Khan said, ‘Zimbabwe will play for the first time in the tournament (ICC Women’s Championship). This is an important step towards greater global representation in women’s cricket. In its first appearance at the tournament, Zimbabwe will host South Africa, West Indies, Ireland and Sri Lanka and tour India, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
400 matches between 11 teams
More than 400 matches will be played in this FTP, which will run from May 2025 to April 2029. It mentions 132 matches in 44 ODI series. Wasim Khan said, ‘Other ICC events during this period include ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (India) in 2025, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (England) in 2026 and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (host yet to be announced) in 2028 ) is included.’
Time.news Editor: Good morning! Today we’re delving into an exciting development in the cricketing world—the International Cricket Council’s recently announced Futures Tour Program. Joining me is cricket expert and analyst, Dr. Anjali Sharma. Dr. Sharma, thank you for being here.
Dr. Anjali Sharma: Good morning! It’s a pleasure to be here and discuss such an important milestone in cricket.
Editor: Let’s kick things off. The ICC’s Futures Tour Program for 2025-2029 includes a remarkable 400 matches and, notably, the introduction of the Champions Trophy for women’s cricket. How significant is this move for women’s cricket?
Dr. Sharma: This is a groundbreaking moment for women’s cricket! The inclusion of the Champions Trophy not only elevates the profile of the women’s game but also provides a platform for female cricketers to showcase their talent on an international stage. It brings parity with men’s cricket, where the Champions Trophy has been a cherished tournament for years. This demonstrates the ICC’s commitment to growing the women’s game.
Editor: Absolutely, and it’s not just the tournament itself. The FTP outlines robust fixtures for the Indian women’s team, including series against top teams like Australia and England. How do you see this impacting the development of women’s cricket in India?
Dr. Sharma: With Australia and England being powerhouses in women’s cricket, hosting them will be crucial for India. Competing against these teams will expose the Indian players to high level cricket, which is essential for their growth. Additionally, hosting teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe shows a diversified approach to nurturing the game across all nations and providing competitive opportunities.
Editor: That’s a great point. What can you tell us about the proposed triangular series before the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026?
Dr. Sharma: The triangular series involving India, England, and New Zealand is an excellent strategic move. It allows teams to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the World Cup. Playing in a competitive multi-team format will help players adapt to high-pressure situations, which are crucial in world tournaments. It also fosters rivalry and excitement leading up to the Cup.
Editor: In addition to these fixtures, the FTP mandates that each member country will play four series at home and four away. How does this structure benefit the growth of cricket internationally?
Dr. Sharma: This two-way home-and-away format ensures that cricketing nations get equitable opportunities to host international fixtures, which can help boost their local cricket infrastructure and fan engagement. It encourages younger players to participate in higher-level cricket, creating a more competitive and well-rounded cricketing ecosystem.
Editor: You mentioned that member countries, including Australia and India, have expressed a desire for more Test matches. How do you think this will shape the landscape of women’s cricket?
Dr. Sharma: The demand for Test matches reveals a strong push from players and cricket boards to emphasize the importance of the traditional format. More Test matches mean players will develop techniques suited for longer formats of the game, which is imperative for skill enhancement. Such experiences also nurture the mental toughness required in international cricket, setting a solid foundation for women’s cricket as a whole.
Editor: The ICC’s General Manager of Cricket, Wasim Khan, indicated that member countries have agreed to a multi-format approach, including ODI and T20 Internationals. How do you envision this multi-format structure benefiting the women’s game?
Dr. Sharma: A multi-format approach allows players to develop a versatile skill set. It creates opportunities for emerging players to step into various roles based on match formats, increasing their adaptability. This flexibility is crucial as the women’s game continues to grow and demands diverse skills from players – versatility will be key to competing successfully on global stages.
Editor: Thank you, Dr. Sharma, for sharing your insights. The ICC’s Futures Tour Program indeed looks promising for the future of women’s cricket and the sport as a whole.
Dr. Sharma: Thank you for having me! It’s an exciting time for cricket, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these plans unfold over the next few years.
Editor: And with that, we’ll keep an eye on the developments in women’s cricket and the tournaments laid out by the ICC. Thank you to our audience for tuning in!