LONDON, Aug 22: Lord’s, the ‘home of cricket’, will host its first-ever Women’s Test between India and England in 2026, the ECB announced on Thursday.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said that after playing a three-match ODI series against hosts England in July 2025, India will return in 2026 for a one-off Test.
India will travel to England for a white-ball tour in 2025. A five-match T20 series will be followed by three ODIs.
“We can confirm that India Women will return in 2026 to take on England Women in the first-ever women’s Test match at Lord’s. It will be a truly special occasion, and one of real significance,” ECB CEO Richard Gould was quoted as saying by the Board’s website.
The first match of the T20I series will be played at Nottingham on June 28, the second at Bristol on July 1 and the third will be at The Oval on July 4. The fourth and fifth T20Is will be played at Old Trafford and Edgbaston on July 9 and 12 respectively.
The first of the three ODIs will be at Southampton on July 16, the second at Lord’s on July 19 and the final match of the series will be at Chester-le-Street on July 22.
“It has also been confirmed that India Women will return in 2026 for a one-off Test match at Lord’s — the first-ever Women’s Test to be staged at the Home of Cricket,” the ECB added.
“England Women have played white-ball matches at Lord’s for the past three years, with another scheduled next year, but it will be the first time the ground has hosted a Women’s Test match.”
India have played nine Tests so far against England in their backyard from June 1986 with their last clash at Bristol in June 2021 ending in a draw. (PTI)
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