Photo via Wisden

West Indies CEO hopes for more women's Tests after ECB funding offer

West Indies Cricket Board CEO Richard Dehring expressed optimism about expanding the women’s Test schedule after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) offered financial support for a planned tour next year. The proposal includes a women’s Test during England’s upcoming multi-format visit, which could mark the first Test for the West Indies women’s team since 2004—a 20-year gap following their last appearance in Karachi against Pakistan.

Dehring highlighted the financial constraints facing Caribbean women’s cricket, noting that revenue primarily comes from men’s competitions, forcing shared resources amid recent cost-cutting measures like a 25% pay reduction for international players and the suspension of tournaments such as the men’s Super50 and women’s T20 Blaze. The board had originally planned to host Australia for a one-off Test earlier this year but canceled it to prioritize white-ball preparation ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

With ECB’s funding offer, Dehring emphasized the potential to revive Test cricket and increase fixtures across formats, though finalizing plans hinges on securing additional revenue streams.

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