Mon Nov 04 10:23:05 UTC 2024: ## ICC Announces Robust Women’s Future Tours Programme for 2025-2029

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled a comprehensive Women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) spanning from 2025 to 2029, featuring a significant increase in international matches and a renewed focus on women’s cricket.

This FTP, which includes approximately 400 confirmed matches across all formats, represents a collaborative effort by ICC members and aims to provide clarity and structure for international fixtures.

Key highlights include:

* **Expansion of ICC Women’s Championship:** The tournament will now include 11 teams, with Zimbabwe joining the existing 10. All teams will compete in 44 series of three matches each, resulting in a total of 132 ODIs.
* **Increased Test Matches:** Member nations, including Australia, England, India, South Africa, and the West Indies, have committed to playing multi-format series featuring ODIs and T20Is, with an emphasis on Test matches.
* **Tri-Series in Preparation for ICC Events:** Tri-series involving top teams will be hosted in the lead-up to major ICC tournaments to provide valuable preparation.
* **Annual ICC Events:** Each year will see an ICC event, including the inaugural six-team Champions Trophy in 2027, the Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025, and two Women’s T20 World Cups in 2026 and 2028.

The FTP is expected to significantly enhance the women’s game by creating a more balanced and contextual calendar for international fixtures. Wasim Khan, ICC General Manager of Cricket, expressed his enthusiasm, stating that the FTP will “further elevate the women’s game” and provide valuable opportunities for both players and fans.

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