The inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, originally scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in February 2027, is expected to be relocated, with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) set to lose its hosting rights The six-team tournament will be hosted at an alternative venue during the same period, with India emerging as the probable new host. The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board is anticipated to confirm the new host at its meeting in October
Sri Lanka lost the hosting rights due to concerns over government interference in its cricket administration, Cricinfo reported. The event was to be Sri Lanka’s second ICC tournament within a year, following its co-hosting of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year.
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Sri Lanka Cricket is currently administered by an interim body, the Transformation Committee, appointed by the Sri Lankan government to implement major reforms, including changes to the board’s constitution. The ICC does not recognise cricket boards controlled by politically appointed administrations. Since the Transformation Committee’s establishment, SLC representatives have not participated in ICC Board meetings.
The Champions Trophy will feature the top six teams in the ICC rankings. Sri Lanka is presently ranked seventh, with Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa occupying the top five positions, and the West Indies in sixth place. The venue change may significantly affect Sri Lanka, which qualified for the tournament primarily because it was originally designated as the host country.
This is the second occasion in three years that Sri Lanka has been stripped of hosting an ICC event. In 2023, similar concerns led to the removal of the 2024 Men’s Under-19 World Cup from Sri Lanka and its subsequent relocation to South Africa.
Source: thenewsmill.com
