Sri Lanka seeks to retain Women's Champions Trophy hosting rights

Sri Lanka's interim cricket administration has committed to sweeping organisational changes in a bid to retain hosting rights for the ICC Women's Champions Trophy, scheduled for February 2027. The six-team T20 tournament has become uncertain amid reports that the International Cricket Board is considering alternative venues due to governance concerns.

Interim Committee chair Eran Wickremaratna, appointed by Sri Lanka's sports ministry, said the board would undertake fundamental restructuring of its operations. "We are very committed to really correcting from the very foundation. We are not backing out," Wickremaratna stated, though he declined to provide specific details of the proposed reforms.

According to interim committee official Prakash Schaffter, the ICC had indicated approximately two and a half months ago that it was exploring alternative host nations. The sports body's concerns centre on allegations of government interference in Sri Lanka Cricket's administration, a long-standing issue in the island nation's sporting governance.

The loss of the inaugural Women's Champions Trophy would represent a significant setback for Sri Lankan cricket at a time when the sport's administration faces intensifying international scrutiny. The ICC has not formally confirmed a decision to relocate the tournament, leaving the board a window to demonstrate meaningful institutional change.