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Women's domestic Test cricket returns Source: 'Twitter"
In a thrilling development for the growth of women's cricket in India, the Indian Cricket Board announced the return of domestic test matches for women. This tournament called the Senior Inter Zonal Multi-Day Trophy, will take place in Pune from March 28th onwards.
This decision comes after the successful return of Test cricket for the Indian women's national team, which recently played matches against Australia and England. The hope is that this domestic tournament will help nurture and prepare the next generation of talented players for the longer format of the game marking a significant stride for women's cricket in the country.
Details of the tournament
The tournament will be hosted in Pune, Maharashtra consisting of six teams representing various zones across the country will compete in the tournament. These zones include East, West, North, South, Central, and North-East. Each match will span over days, offering an extended platform for players to exhibit their skills and endurance.
These teams will participate in a series of five matches, each spanning three days, marking an increase from the two-day matches held during the 2018 season. Currently, the women are participating in the 2nd edition of the WPL and once it is over the Indian women will assemble to take part in this tournament.
The tournament will kick off with the quarterfinal matches, pitting East Zone against North East Zone and West Zone against Central Zone, scheduled for March 28. The semifinals are set to take place on April 3.
It is a significant step by the Indian Cricket Board to foster the red-ball talent in women's cricket and create a pipeline of talented red-ball women cricketers who can compete with the big teams in the longest format of the game.
Former India pacer Amita Sharma welcomed this step of the Indian Cricket Board as she feels that it will grow test match cricket among women at the grassroots level. While speaking to PTI, Amita Sharma said, "It is a welcome step taken by the Indian Cricket Board. The national team has started playing Test cricket again and we need the next generation of cricketers to play red-ball cricket at the domestic level."