Vadodara’s Champions Trophy selection ‘well deserved’, says BCA CEO

Vadodara has been selected as a co-host for the inaugural 2027 ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, with BCA CEO Snehal Parikh calling the decision well deserved. He highlighted the stadium’s strong record of hosting major domestic and international cricket fixtures

New Delhi: The selection of Vadodara as a venue for the inaugural 2027 ICC Women’s Champions Trophy matches is “well deserved”, given the venue’s proven track record of staging high-profile domestic and international fixtures in recent times, said Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Snehal Parikh.

His comments followed the International Cricket Council (ICC) naming Vadodara International Cricket Stadium and Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium as co-hosts of the inaugural six-team competition, to be held from February 14 to 28 next year.

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“We can say that we are lucky. But we can always say it’s well deserved because we’ve been hosting so many matches, tournaments and I think the response has been good. People have appreciated and the BCCI has appreciated as well.

“Various officials, India players, and international masters league players like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and everyone have appreciated the grounds, facilities, wickets, and outfield. So, yes, we are lucky there,” Parikh told IANS on Thursday.

The tournament was moved to India following a global assessment by the ICC, which evaluated alternative bids from India, Bangladesh, and South Africa after Sri Lanka was stripped of its hosting rights due to government interference in its board’s administration. The competition will feature the top six women’s T20I sides as of July 6 – Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.

Located roughly 30 kilometres outside Vadodara, just off the Harod-Halol-Vadodara highway, the stadium, also known as Kotambi International Stadium, hosted its first international cricket match during the India-West Indies women’s ODI series in December 2024, before staging a men’s ODI between India and New Zealand in January this year.

The venue, with a seating capacity of 35,000, has quickly established itself as a premier hub for women’s cricket by hosting six matches in the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL) and 11 games in the 2026 edition earlier this year.

The venue is scheduled to host a three-match women’s ODI series between India and Zimbabwe on 23, 25, and 28 October. It will also host India women’s Under-19 T20 games against the England women’s Under-19 team on 26 and 28 November.