First private T20 league for women cricketers to have 6 teams, 90 players from 35 countries

The first-ever, one-of-a-kind, women’s cricketers’ private T20 league will see 90 players from 35 countries, divided into six teams, being a part of the tournament. The tournament will take place in Dubai and has been abstracted by gender equality operation Fairbreak.

The Fairbreak Invitational 2022 will witness 19 matches being played over a time of 15 days. Fairbreak was originally launched as a Women’s International Cricket League by former Australia captain Lisa Sthalekar and Shaun Martyn, in the year 2013 after a successful 2013 World Cup.

The inaugural tournament was supposed to be held in Hong Kong but has been shifted to Dubai owing to the Covid-19 approvals and limitations by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Though the matches are scheduled to happen in Dubai, the tournament will be hosted by Hong Kong.

“This FairBreak tournament will be a huge stepping stone for associate nation cricketers to be playing alongside some of the world’s greatest international female cricketers. What a fantastic opportunity!” said Mariko Hill, Hong Kong national team player and past captain, and FairBreak player, as per HK Cricket.

India players denied NOC, won’t be participating in the tournament

Of the 90 players signed in the tournament, 40 are part of full-member countries, and 50 are from associate nations. The tournament will witness players like the White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine, South African skipper Sune Luus, West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin and NZ star batter Suzie Bates. The players have been split into six teams by the organizers, without following the usual ways of an auction.

The complete list of teams and squads will be out soon, but it is being said that the West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor will be leading one of the sides named Tornadoes, and the team will also feature Devine, Luus, Katey Martin, Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz, and Hong Kong’s Maryam Bibi and Natasha Miles.

The expected list of players featured Indian player names like that of Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma. But the BCCI denied NOCs, and as a result, India won’t be participating. The decision, taken by the BCCI, was due to the dates clashing with the Senior Women’s National T20 Tournament.