Photo Credit: LinkedIn Cover Photo of Western Australian Cricket Association
The WACA Ground will host just the second ever women’s day-night Test match when Australia take on India in a multi-format series to kick off the 2021-22 international summer of cricket.
The historic Test match will be the first between the Australian and Indian women’s teams in 15 years, and India’s first ever women’s day-night Test. The series will also mark the first time the two sides have met since the record-breaking ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final at the MCG in 2020.
Following the announcement of the men’s and women’s Ashes and the historic first men’s Test against Afghanistan, the 2021-22 season will feature eight Test matches across seven states and territories in what promises to be an epic summer.
Meg Lanning’s side will also take on India in three Commonwealth Bank ODIs at North Sydney Oval (September 19) and the Junction Oval (September 22 & 24) to open the summer before the standalone Test match at the WACA Ground (September 30 – October 3).
India’s tour will conclude with three Commonwealth Bank T20Is at North Sydney Oval (Oct 7, 9 & 11), with the Australia team set to break for the WBBL before the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes series.
Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s Interim CEO, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the tours of Australia’s greatest rivals, India and England, for separate multi-format tours this summer,” Hockley said. “The Australian women’s team has gone from strength-to-strength since their record-breaking T20 World Cup win at the MCG, including extending their record unbeaten ODI streak to 24 matches, and these series will provide yet another great challenge for Meg Lanning’s squad.
“There is no doubt that T20 cricket has been, and will continue to be, a key driver of growth for women’s cricket globally. That said, it is testament to how far the game has come that we are in a position to host two women’s Test matches against the might of India and England, which we know will prove popular with cricket-lovers right around the world.
“The men’s Test series against India last season was an extremely competitive series that came down to the wire and we have no doubt that this women’s multi-format series will be just as hard fought. We look forward to welcoming members of the India women’s team to Australia after what has been an incredibly challenging time and thank the BCCI for supporting this ground-breaking tour.”
The Australian women’s team played its first ever Test match against India at Perth’s Hale School in 1977.
The match, won by the Margaret Jennings-led Australians by 147 runs, was just the eighth Test match ever played by the Indian women’s team and only their second overseas.
The day-night Test at the WACA ground will be the fifth women’s Test played in Perth and the tenth contested by the Australian and Indian teams.
Christina Matthews, WACA CEO, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting India at the WACA Ground under lights. “India is such an entertaining side to watch, we got to see them here last here year during the T20 World Cup and I can guarantee West Aussie’s will be in for an exciting match.
Photo Credit: LinkedIn profile photo of Christina Matthews
“The WACA Ground has a rich history and this match will be another great iconic moment to add to that, it will show the world how important the Ground still is to international cricket.”
As revealed earlier this week, the full schedule for the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes series includes Manuka Oval as the host of the standalone Ashes Test (January 27-30), ahead of the white ball matches.
The three Commonwealth Bank T20Is between Australia and England will be played at North Sydney Oval (February 4 and 6) and Adelaide Oval (February 10), with the series concluding with a three-match ODI series at Adelaide Oval (February 13) and the Junction Oval (February 16 and 19).
At the conclusion of the series, the Australians will depart for New Zealand to take part in the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in a year that will also see them represent the nation at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Commonwealth Bank Women’s ODI Series v India
September 19: North Sydney Oval (Day-night)
September 22: Junction Oval
September 24: Junction Oval
Commonwealth Bank Women’s Test v India
September 30 – October 3: WACA Ground (Day-night)
Commonwealth Bank Women’s T20I Series v India
October 7: North Sydney Oval (Night)
October 9: North Sydney Oval (Night)
October 11: North Sydney Oval (Night)
