England Players May Skip T20 Series Against Sri Lanka for WPL Knockouts
Englands women cricketers may prioritize the WPL over T20 matches against Sri Lanka, depending on their franchise performance.
New Delhi, October 21 (Daily Kiran) : England’s women cricketers, including captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, may miss the T20 International series against Sri Lanka to participate in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) knockout stage. The WPL is scheduled from January 14 to February 7, 2027, and if their respective franchises advance, they will be allowed to skip the three-match series against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the schedule for this white-ball tour, which includes T20 matches on February 1, 3, and 5 in Pallekele. These games are part of the preparations for the inaugural Women’s T20 Champions Trophy, set to take place in India from February 14 to 28. Following the T20 series, the England team will return to Sri Lanka for three One Day Internationals on March 4, 6, and 8 in Dambulla.
A source from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) indicated that if the players reach the WPL knockout stage, they could continue playing for their WPL teams. This decision is influenced by potential last-minute changes to the Champions Trophy schedule.
Originally, the Champions Trophy was set to occur in June-July 2027 in Sri Lanka. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) moved the dates up and relocated the tournament to India due to government interference in Sri Lankan cricket administration.
In addition to Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Bell (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Sophie Ecclestone (UP Warriors) have been retained for the 2027 WPL. Only two England players, Sophia Dunkley and Kira Chathli, have registered for the WPL mini-auction on October 28 in Kochi.
The overlap with the Sri Lanka matches is a significant reason many England players chose not to register for the upcoming WPL season. The source noted that five England players might participate in the next WPL, but the decision to take part in the auction is personal and varies among players. Sri Lanka’s announced tour schedule indicates that some international matches will coincide with the final stages of the WPL.
Currently, this situation does not affect any Sri Lankan players, although captain Chamari Athapaththu and young fast bowler Mithali Ayodhya are set to participate in the auction. The ECB has faced similar circumstances before. After the 2024 WPL concludes on March 17, players like Sophie, Nat, Alice Capsy, and Danny Wyatt-Hodge arrived late for a series against New Zealand.
