India to stage Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 after Sri Lanka loses hosting rights

New Delhi: India will host the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027 after the International Cricket Council (ICC) shifted the six-team tournament from Sri Lanka.

The tournament will be held from February 14 to 28 in Mumbai and Vadodara, with the final scheduled for February 28.

The ICC Board approved India as the replacement host on Wednesday. Sri Lanka lost hosting rights as Sri Lanka Cricket continues to work on governance reforms sought by the ICC.

The global governing body said it had evaluated Bangladesh, India and South Africa against its established host-selection criteria before recommending India.

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Six teams to compete

The landmark tournament will feature Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

The teams qualified based on their positions in the ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings as of the July 6 cut-off date. They will play a round-robin league, with the top two teams progressing to the final.

The Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium will host the matches.

Another major women’s cricket event in India

The tournament will add to India’s growing role in hosting major women’s cricket events. India hosted the Women’s ODI World Cup last year, with the home team winning the title.

Unlike the men’s Champions Trophy, which is played in the 50-over format, the inaugural women’s edition will be played in the T20 format.

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Jay Shah welcomes new tournament

ICC Chairman, Jay Shah, said: "The ICC Women's Champions Trophy 2027 marks an exciting new chapter for women's cricket. As the inaugural edition of the tournament, it will bring together the best teams in the world in an intense, high-quality competition, while creating even greater incentive for teams to continue rising through the rankings and competing for a place on the global stage.

"With a marquee ICC women's event now taking place every year, we have a significant opportunity to build greater momentum, provide more consistency and create a stronger rhythm for the women's game, its players and its fans around the world."
(With PTI inputs)