In a major move to globalise Women’s cricket, International Cricket Council (ICC), in collaboration with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), have jointly announced their initiative for putting up the first ever Women’s Development squad, which will play against ECB’s Super League team’s after the conclusion of World T20 qualifiers in Netherlands in Jul 2018.
The initiative, being aimed at providing greater exposure for players from developing nations and to make global Women’s tournaments organised by ICC more competitive in the future, will provide the players the much needed exposure to play against some of the top Women’s players in the English system and learn training and playing trends and tricks to incorporate the same back home, when with their national squads.
The Squad features three players from Bangladesh, two players each from Ireland, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Uganda and one player each from Scotland and United Arab Emirates but interestingly, no player from Thailand.
The squad will play 5 matches against KIA Super League team’s from 15th – 21st Jul, 2018 as part of their warm-up’s for the upcoming season.
ICC Women’s Development Squad:
Jahanara Alam, Khadiza-Tul Kubra & Rumana Ahmed (From Bangladesh), Gaby Lewis & Lucy O’Reilly (From Ireland), Sterre Kalis & Heather Siegers (From Netherlands), Kaia Arua & Ravini Oa (From PNG), Gertrude Candiru & Immaculate Nakisuyi (From Uganda), Sarah Bryce (Scotland), Esha Oza (UAE)
ICC Women’s Development Squad Match Schedule:
17th Jul 2018: v/s Surrey Stars @New Malden, Surrey – 1st match (10:30 am) & 2nd match (15:00 pm)
19th Jul 2018: v/s Loughborough Lightning @Haslegrave, Loughborough – 1st match match (10:30 am) & 2nd match (14:30 pm)
20th Jul 2018: v/s Western Storm @Bath CC – match starts at 14:30 pm
