ICC calls off Women’s Test cricket due to poor commercial appeal
On Thursday, the ICC in its CEC (Cricket Executive Committee) meeting at Kolkata, decided to scrap Women’s Test matches in the immediate future due to poor commercialization of the format. This would also mean that the Women’s Ashes, between England and Australia, also has to be cancelled.
The ICC women’s committee is yet to approve the proposal of scraping the format alogether with a source claiming that it is going to be confirmed soon. Though the women’s game has started attracting TV audiences, ICC considers the standard of women’s Test cricket not attractive enough of the fans.
“Ever since India started paying attention to women’s cricket, it’s getting better. But the standard of women’s Tests isn’t the same as other formats,” ICC said, as reported by TNIE.
The idea was first discussed in last June when the ICC women’s committee comprising former cricketers Shubhangi Kulkarni, Belinda Clark and Betty Timmer gave positive sign regarding the scrapping women’s Tests. ICC chairman Shashank Manohar and CEO Dave Richardson were also in the committee to discuss the matter.
Women’s teams of England and Australia wrote to the ICC saying that they need the confirmation to play Ashes Tests, but the request didn’t convince many. The rest of the women's teams very rarely play Test cricket.