ICC launches post-pregnancy return-to-play guidelines for women cricketers

The ICC has introduced comprehensive post-pregnancy return-to-play guidelines for women cricketers, offering a structured six-step framework to support recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into elite cricket while promoting player welfare, flexibility and long-term career sustainability.

Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday launched its return to play post‑pregnancy guidelines, offering female cricketers, member boards, and medical staff a structured framework to support players resuming competitive cricket after childbirth.

The guidelines, as part of the ICC’s broader 100% Cricket initiative, aim to normalise conversations around women’s health and ensure that motherhood and professional cricket are not seen as mutually exclusive. The guidelines feature a six‑step ‘6 Rs’ pathway – Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return, and Refine.

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All of this covers recovery, medical reviews, gradual training, cricket‑specific conditioning, return to competition, and further monitoring. The move comes amid an increasing number of female cricketers choosing to start families during their playing careers and then successfully returning to resume their on-field commitments.

Australia team doctor Dr Philippa Inge, also a member of the ICC Medical Advisory Committee, said, “The ICC’s Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines are designed to show players that having a baby doesn’t need to be the end of their career, and what we’re aiming to do with this policy is allow Member nations to facilitate the return to cricket for their players.

“We know that many Members haven’t necessarily had these in the past, and the aim has been to make them adaptable for the unique environments in which our Members need to use them.

“The guidelines serve as a template for Members, and strong support for an athlete returning to cricket post-pregnancy needs to be individualised to the specific needs of them and their family.”

The recommendations include the appointment of a dedicated case manager — typically a doctor or a physiotherapist — to serve as the primary point of contact throughout a player’s pregnancy and her subsequent return to the field.

The case manager will be responsible for coordinating support services, overseeing periodic reviews, and ensuring that all decisions remain strictly focused on the well-being of both the mother and the child.

The ICC document also advocates for regular player management meetings at critical stages of the journey. These include the initial pregnancy announcement, the third trimester, six to eight weeks post-childbirth, and at four-week intervals once the player begins her reintegration into the cricket environment.

To ensure comprehensive care, the guidelines call for a multidisciplinary support team consisting of medical staff, physiotherapists, strength and conditioning coaches, psychologists, dieticians, coaches, and family support networks, while emphasising a flexible, player-centred approach.

On the privacy and medical front, the global body stated that the decision to announce a pregnancy should rest entirely with the player, explicitly asserting that member boards should not mandate pregnancy testing.

While the ICC guidelines strongly encourage continued exercise during pregnancy, it noted that training and competition decisions must be individualised and made in consultation with medical professionals.

Although the document recommends that players cease competing after the first trimester, it stressed that there is no fixed gestational age at which participation must end. Such decisions will need to be made collectively by the player, her treating doctors, and the respective cricket board’s medical staff.

West Indies leg-spinner Afy Fletcher, who returned to international cricket after giving birth to her son in 2021 and is currently featuring in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales, welcomed the move.

“I think it’s really good that the ICC is giving cricket boards policies to look after women after pregnancy,” said Fletcher. “It gives you a chance to have your family and then return, so I think that’s one of the best things they could have done for women’s cricket.

“Physical recovery was challenging; more than that, I struggled to leave my child and miss creating precious moments. That’s why every moment I play on the field is driven by him. Every player’s journey is different, but you have to have strong support, get healthy, and trust the process.”

The ICC guidelines also outline practical support considerations, including flexible training environments, continued access to facilities and services, childcare advice, suitable spaces for feeding or caring for babies at playing venues, and travel support, where possible.

“The growth of women’s cricket must be matched by the environments we create around our players, and the ICC’s Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines are an important step in supporting female cricketers through every stage of their careers.

“Motherhood and elite cricket should not be seen as mutually exclusive. By providing clear, practical and player-centred guidance, we want to help Member Boards support informed choices, protect player welfare and retain more outstanding talent in the game,” added an ICC spokesperson.