The programme runs till the end of April 2025, leading up to the 50-over World Cup in India
THE first women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), announced by the ICC yesterday, contains a total of 301 international matches between 2022 and 2025. The cycle has already begun – in May this year – and runs until the conclusion of the ODI World Cup in 2025.
The calendar for women’s cricket in the three-year cycle comprises seven Tests, 159 T20Is and 135 ODIs, which include fixtures for the 2022-25 ICC Women’s Championship, the qualification pathway for the next ODI World Cup in India.
Among the highlights of the FTP is the standalone Ashes, starting with England’s tour of Australia in 2024-25. England play the most Tests (five), followed by Australia (four), South Africa (three) and India (two).
India are scheduled to play one Test match each against England and Australia at home. England last played a Test in India in 2005, while Australia’s Test in 2023-24 will be their first in the country since 1984.
As part of the 2022-25 ICC Women’s Championship, teams will play three-match bilateral ODI series to try and qualify the 2025 World Cup. The addition of Bangladesh and Ireland makes the ICC Women’s Championship a 10-team tournament this time, compared to eight in the previous cycle. Each team will play eight ODI series (four home and four away) and the top five in the standings will earn direct qualification to the 2025 World Cup, along with hosts India. The bottom four teams in the ICC Women’s Championship will play four other teams in a qualifying tournament for the final two spots in the 2025 World Cup.
“This is a huge moment for the women’s game,” ICC general manager of cricket, Wasim Khan, said. “This FTP not only lends certainty to future cricket tours but also sets the base for a structure that is sure to grow in the coming years.”
Bangladesh, for example, will have 24 international matches in the new three-year cycle, compared to 11 in the previous cycle. Bangladesh, who had played Australia, England and New Zealand for the first time ever at the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, will play each of these teams in a bilateral series comprising three matches apiece. Ireland will also have an increase in games because of their inclusion in the women’s FTP.
All the bilateral T20I matches in the FTP will count towards team rankings, which will serve as the primary mechanism to determine the teams that qualify for ICC global events.
There is a clear window in the women’s FTP in March 2023, which has been earmarked for the inaugural Women’s IPL.