Sri Lanka’s Rs 188 Crore Loss? What ICC’s Women’s Champions Trophy Shift To India Means: Report

Sri Lanka are reportedly set to lose at least USD 20 million (around Rs 188 crore) after the International Cricket Council (ICC) moved the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy out of the country.

India have been confirmed as the replacement hosts for the six-team tournament, which will be played from February 14 to 28, 2027. Matches will be held in Mumbai and Vadodara.

According to IANS, the ICC Board ratified the decision on Tuesday, bringing an end to Sri Lanka’s hopes of staging the inaugural edition.

The tournament was originally awarded to Sri Lanka, but the hosting rights were withdrawn amid continuing concerns over the administration and governance of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

The financial impact could be substantial for Sri Lanka. The country had been expected to benefit from the influx of visitors and increased activity across tourism, hospitality, transportation and other commercial sectors. With the event now moving to India, Sri Lanka are reportedly facing a loss of at least USD 20 million in potential revenue.

The ICC’s concerns centre on the current structure of SLC. The cricket board is being overseen by a government-appointed Transformation Committee rather than an elected administration recognised by the global governing body.

The ICC has consistently maintained that national cricket boards should operate independently of government interference.

According to a report in the Sri Lanka Daily Mirror, the ICC had warned SLC several months ago that the country’s hosting rights were at risk.

The report claimed that the cricket board was asked to address concerns over political interference and conduct its long-pending elections.

However, those warnings allegedly did not reach the Sports Ministry or President Anura Kumara Dissanayake until recently. The report said the concerns were known within the interim cricket administration but were not escalated to the country’s top political leadership.

The latest setback is not an isolated incident for Sri Lankan cricket. In 2023, the ICC suspended SLC over governance concerns, after which the 2024 Men's Under-19 World Cup was moved from Sri Lanka to South Africa.

Sri Lanka have therefore now lost another major ICC hosting opportunity within three years, with the same broader dispute over government involvement in cricket administration again emerging as a key factor.

The next challenge for SLC will be to push through the proposed constitutional reforms and conduct fresh elections. The Daily Mirror report said members of the Transformation Committee are hopeful that the electoral process can be completed before the end of 2026, provided parliamentary procedures move ahead without major delays.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s loss of hosting rights does not automatically rule them out of the tournament.

The inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy will feature six teams, with Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka set to participate according to the latest tournament announcement.

The competition will be played in the T20 format, with all six teams facing each other once in the league stage. The top two teams in the standings will qualify for the final on February 28.

For Sri Lanka, that means the disappointment is limited to losing home advantage and the economic benefits associated with hosting.

If they remain among the six participating teams, they will still have the opportunity to compete for the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, but in India rather than at home.