England are set to visit Sri Lanka for a series of T20 matches in early February next year, which coincides with the final stages of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in India. From February 1 to 5, England will engage in three T20 Internationals in Sri Lanka, while the WPL wraps up by February 7. Subsequently, a three-match one-day international (ODI) series against Sri Lanka is scheduled for March, following the Women’s Champions Trophy in India, spanning February 14 to 28.
This scheduling overlap means some players involved in the WPL might prioritise finishing the league over national team duties. In this way, both the WPL and the Sri Lankan T20 series can act as preparation for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Initially earmarked for Sri Lanka, the hosting rights for the Women’s Champions Trophy were reassigned to India by the ICC, following concerns about political interference in Sri Lankan cricket governance.
Post-Champions Trophy, England will head back to Sri Lanka for the ODI series, to be held in Dambulla from the 4th to the 8th of March. The earlier T20 matches will occur in Pallekele.
Interestingly, before these engagements, England plan a training camp focused on Test cricket in India come January, with selections underway soon. This move follows head coach Charlotte Edwards’s reflections after a rough summer, notably a significant defeat against India at Lord’s and the upcoming Ashes series mid-next year.
Edwards commented, “There will be a real focus on our red-ball cricket come December, January, February and leading into our English summer. Expect potentially some of the players to be removed from county cricket. I’ll put that out there now because we’ve got a few best v best [planned].”
