DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, announced to expand the upcoming ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and the qualification pathway for the 2025 Women’s World Cup.

In an official statement, the cricket governing body announced the inclusion of ninth-ranked Bangladesh and tenth-ranked Ireland, in an attempt to foster the growth of the women’s game.

With the inclusion of the two new teams, the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 will now feature 10 teams. Each team will play eight three-match series (four home and four away) over the next three years.

The top five teams after the conclusion of the cycle, the top five teams and the host of the 2025 Women’s World Cup will qualify for the mega event. Whereas, the remaining teams will then have to go through the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

It is pertinent to mention here that Australia, having won the last two cycles of the Women’s Championship, will defend their title in the upcoming world cup. The 2022-25 ICC Women’s Championship will begin with the upcoming ODI series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, scheduled from June 1 to June 5 in Karachi.

READ: Tsitsipas roars back to thump Musetti in the first round of the French Open