The absence of Australian stars – Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning – in the upcoming Women’s T20 Challenge to be held in India alongside the playoffs stage of the men’s IPL 2019, is due to a communication breakdown between the national boards which in turn has impacted the players.
Karina Keisler, Cricket Australia’s executive general manager of public affairs, while apologising for the turn of events was hopeful that the Australia board can continue to have a healthy relationship with the BCCI in order to avoid such incidents in the future.
“We have always been supportive of the Women’s IPL and had every intention of participating,” Keisler said.
“We are also very keen to ensure a strong working relationship with the BCCI. While we are in regular contact with the BCCI, there has clearly been a communication breakdown on this occasion and the women have been impacted as a result. We’re sorry this has happened and are determined to ensure our relationship with India remains open and collaborative to avoid future such incidents.”
The issue arose from a men’s ODI series scheduled to be played between India and Australia in India in January 2020. The CA wanted to reschedule the series to March as it would otherwise clash with the Big Bash season, also depriving them of a home series. The two boards exchanged several emails but weren’t able to break the deadlock, which in turn affected the Australia women’s participation in the upcoming tournament in India. CA chief executive Kevin Roberts and chairman Earl Eddings are set to travel to India next month to address the loggerhead with BCCI.
The Women’s T20 Challenge 2019 will see top international cricketers from India, England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh play in a four-match tri-series to be held in Jaipur from May 6-12. All the teams consist of 13 players with four overseas cricketers each.
The Indian star players Mithali Raj, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur have been named captains of the Velocity, Trailblazers and Supernovas respectively.
