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Birmingham Marks 50 Days to Go Until ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with Schools Cricket Day | Birmingham City Council
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Birmingham Marks 50 Days to Go Until ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with Schools Cricket Day
Published:
Thursday, 23rd April 2026
Over 8,000* children across Warwickshire came together for Schools Cricket Day, with today marking 50 days to go to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup gets underway at Edgbaston.
Over 8,000* children from 54 schools across the region today picked up a bat and ball as part of Schools Cricket Day - the largest single-day cricket participation event in UK history.
As part of Schools Cricket day, over 400 children taking part in a dedicated cricket session at Edgbaston, supported by former England star and 2009 World Cup Winner, Lydia Greenway OBE.
Schools Cricket Day marks 50 days to go to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup gets underway at Edgbaston, which is set to inspire the next generation of players
As part of its tournament legacy plan, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is aiming for 500,000 women and girls to play cricket in 2026
The landmark moment marks a major milestone on the road to this summer’s must-see tournament, which gets underway on 12th June at Edgbaston, kicking off with England vs Sri Lanka before Edgbaston hosts a further three fixtures, including Bangladesh vs Netherlands followed by India vs Pakistan just four hours later.
From first-time batters and bowlers in playgrounds, to competitive matches on sports fields, girls and boys across the area came together to play, learn and be inspired, as schools across England and Wales truly catch the spirit of the game.
Schools Cricket Day is part of the ECB’s ambitions to harness the power of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales to build a legacy that inspires the next generation of girls to say cricket is a game for them. This year alone, through various initiatives and programmes, the ECB is aiming to see 500,000 women and girls playing cricket, 300 women taking up key leadership roles within the game’s administration, and 500 Champions of Change created as part of the Young Cricket Collective, which will empower young girls to volunteer and make change at their local cricket clubs.
The day also features bespoke resources and games created by the ICC’s global charity partner, UNICEF through its “Rights in Play” programme. The games, which were integrated into the day’s activities, focused on increasing understanding of child rights through play and participation in cricket. These sit alongside a range of cricket activity ideas on a dedicated schools’ resource hub.
Former England star and 2009 World Cup winner, Lydia Greenway OBE, said:
“Having the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup coming to England and Wales in just 50 days is incredibly exciting. It’s a real chance to put the women’s game front and center on a global stage, and moments like Schools Cricket Day show exactly why that matters.
“When I think back to my own debut in 2003, the opportunities for girls in cricket were so different. It’s brilliant to see initiatives like this taking the game directly to school children here in Birmingham and across the country - using the opportunity of hosting a home World Cup to leave a legacy beyond the action on the field.”
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