The Women's Premier League (WPL) has found itself a new, dedicated window in the women's Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the 2025-29 cycle. WPL will be played in January-February from 2026 onwards, as against the February-March period where it was held in its first two editions. (More Cricket News)
With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) moving the WPL to earlier in the year, other major leagues have also been shifted to avoid overlap. Australia's flagship Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), for instance, will be played in November under the new FTP cycle.
Cricket Australia wanted to avoid any overlap with WPL, which is the most cash-rich women's franchise league in the world currently and attracts top Australian talent. Hence, it not only shifted WBBL but also tweaked its marquee summer fixtures.
The upcoming women's Ashes, which begins on January 12 next year, will be the last international matches that Australia will host in January until 2029. In the new window, Australia will host India for one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is after the WPL in January-February 2026.
The Hundred is the other franchise cricket league to get a dedicated window, and will be played in August from 2026 onwards.
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has also introduced a T20 Champions Trophy, which will be held in Sri Lanka in 2027. This is part of the global governing body's vision to have at least one worldwide women's event every year.
The new tournament will feature six teams that will lock horns across 16 matches. Thus, there will be three global events in a span of 12 months - the Los Angeles Olympics in August 2028 and the T20 World Cup in September 2028 being the others.
