With a tweet that summed up the wait they have had to endure, England and Wales Cricket Board on Tuesday confirmed that women’s international cricket will take place in the summer as West Indies have agreed to tour for five T20 internationals.

“England Women will be playing cricket this summer!” the tweet read as ECB confirmed the development.

“The ECB are today delighted to confirm that England Women will host West Indies in five IT20s at the Incora County Ground, Derby in September,” the statement from the board said.

“The five-match series will be played behind closed doors in a bio-secure environment. It will replace scheduled series against India and South Africa after both teams were unavailable to travel due to Covid-19.”

South Africa cited “current international travel regulations” in place for South African national teams as their reason for withdrawing from September’s planned tour.

They followed India in calling off a series. The Indian board reportedly informed the England and Wales Cricket Board in July they were cancelling their tour due to rising numbers of coronavirus infections in India.

  • Monday 21 September: 1st T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports)
  • Wednesday 23 September: 2nd T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports)
  • Saturday 26 September: 3rd T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports, BBC)
  • Monday 28 September: 4th T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports)
  • Wednesday 30 September: 5th T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports)

ECB Managing Director of Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, said:

 “It’s so pleasing after many months of work and communication with colleagues across the international game that we are now able to confirm international cricket for England Women this summer.

“We’re grateful to the West Indies for the pace and determination with which they have worked with us over the last couple of weeks.

“It’s fantastic for the visibility of the women’s game that the third IT20 will be simulcast live on the BBC and Sky Sports and I hope that it’s an event that catches the attention of some new fans.

“We’re all still adapting and will need to continue to adapt to the sporting landscape left by COVID-19. That does not mean that we will give any less focus to the women’s and girls’ game and we’re totally committed to continuing our ambitions in that area.”

ECB Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison, said:

 “Protecting the momentum of the women’s game was one of our four stated aims right at the beginning of the pandemic in March and I’m delighted that, despite the enormous difficulties that COVID-19 has created, we’ll see England Women in action this summer.

“It has been critical to us that our  efforts to deliver bio-secure standards and support visiting opponents have been equal to those that have so successfully delivered in the England Men’s series.  We are immensely grateful to the team at Derby who have supported this ambition throughout the summer with testing and now delivery.

“There were 86,000 fans in attendance at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final in March and the direction of travel in the women’s game in England and Wales has been relentlessly positive over the last few years. That momentum must continue despite the challenges of COVID-19, and we do not underestimate our role in driving that agenda.”