A lucrative women’s T20 tournament in Saudi Arabia scheduled for later this year has been postponed due to the war in Iran – but is not set to be impacted by sporting cutbacks in the country.
The Women’s World T20 Challenge was due to take place a few weeks after the English domestic season had finished with some of the best players from England, Australia and India poised to be involved.
Sources close to the event in the Gulf state have told BBC Sport it has now been delayed until 2027 at the earliest because of the ongoing Iranian conflict.
It is also understood there are no concerns over funding for the tournament amid a reduction in sporting investments by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
It was announced this week that PIF will stop bankrolling LIV Golf at the end of the season which has cast doubt on other Saudi-backed sporting ventures.
But sources say the Women’s World T20 Challenge, a six-team tournament sanctioned by the International Cricket Council, is not directly connected to PIF.
The deal for the tournament, signed in November last year, was between the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation and FairBreak Global and is seen as a domestic project so its financial backing will not be affected.
FairBreak, a private company founded in 2013 that aims to improve gender equality in sport, had been enlisted to run and manage the tournament and help provide the impetus and expertise for cricket’s wider development in Saudi Arabia.
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has featured in previous tournaments organised by FairBreak long with team-mates Heather Knight, Sophie Ecclestone and Sophia Dunkley.
