The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have allocated the Emirates Old Trafford in Stretford, England (UK) with a major match package of International fixtures for the period covering 2025-2031, that includes four India Men’s fixtures, a Men’s Ashes Test as well as five International Women’s fixtures.
‘Lancashire Cricket’ stated that the Emirates Old Trafford will host 40 days of major match cricket including five Men’s Test Matches, 10 Men’s IT20s as well as five white-ball Women’s Internationals. The announced package provides seven years of certainty for international match scheduling, and it will be the first time the venue has hosted International Women’s cricket for over 20 years.
London (UK)-based the England and Wales Cricket Board is the national governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was formed on January 1st, 1997 as a single governing body to combine the roles formerly fulfilled by the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council.
The 50,000-capacity Old Trafford is a cricket ground in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England (UK). It opened in 1857 as the home of Manchester Cricket Club and has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since 1864. From 2013 onwards it has been known as the Emirates Old Trafford due to a sponsorship deal with the Emirates Airline.
The Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in English cricket (UK). The club has held first-class status since it was founded in 1864. Lancashire’s home is the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, although the team also play matches at other grounds around the county.
‘Lancashire Cricket’ further stated that the venue will host four India Men’s fixtures in five years, which continues Lancashire’s long association with Indian cricket, stretching back more than 50 years to when the Indian International wicketkeeper batter Farokh Engineer joined the county in 1968.
Said Kate Cross, England and Thunder bowler, “I’ve always said that it would be a dream come true to play for England at the Emirates Old Trafford, so I’m absolutely delighted to see five women’s Internationals are going to be played here in the coming years. With the additional funding and effort that’s gone into the professional Thunder program, I really believe that Lancashire are leading the way in women’s cricket and hosting International fixtures feels like the natural next step.”
International fixtures (2025-2031) at the Emirates Old Trafford:
- 2025: India Men’s Test Match, International Men’s T20 (opposition TBC (to be confirmed) and Women’s white ball fixture (format and opposition TBC);
- 2026: International Men’s IT20 x 2 (vs. India and opposition TBC) and Women’s white ball fixture (format and opposition TBC);
- 2027: Men’s Test Match and International Men’s T20 x 2 (opposition TBC);
- 2028: Men’s Test Match (opposition TBC), India Men’s International IT20 and Women’s white ball fixture (format and opposition TBC);
- 2029: India Men’s Test Match, Men’s International T20 (opposition TBC) and Women’s white ball fixture (format and opposition TBC);
- 2030: International Men’s T20 x 2 (opposition TBC); and
- 2031: Australia Men’s Test Match, International Men’s T20 (opposition TBC) and Women’s white ball fixture (format and opposition TBC).
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