England players, including skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, will be free to skip the three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka if their respective franchises reach the knockout stage of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027, which runs from January 14 to February 7 next year. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced the white-ball tour itinerary on Wednesday, with the T20Is in Pallekele on February 1, 3 and 5 as preparation for the inaugural Women’s T20 Champions Trophy, to be played in India from February 14 to 28. After the tournament is over, England will return for three ODIs in Dambulla on March 4, 6 and 8 respectively.
The ECB has been a part of this arrangement before when Sophie, Nat, Alice Capsey and Danni Wyatt-Hodge arrived late for the series against New Zealand after the 2024 WPL ended on March 17.
“If the England players are in the knockouts of the WPL, then they can continue to play for their respective WPL team due to the late-changing nature of the itinerary for the Champions Trophy,” a source in the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) told IANS on Wednesday. “With Sri Lanka today announcing the schedule for the tour there next year, it means there will be some international cricket taking place during the latter stages of the WPL,” further said the source. No Sri Lankan players are affected so far, though captain Chamari Athapaththu and young pacer Mithali Ayodhya are in the auction.
