Bangladesh and Ireland, rated ninth and tenth in the ODI team rankings, have been added to the mix for the upcoming 2022-25 edition of the ICC ODI Women’s Championship cycle, as announced by the ICC on Tuesday (May 25).

They will join Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies, who are already in the tournament.

Over the next three years, each side will play eight three-match series (four at home and four away).

The top five teams including the hosts will be guaranteed a spot in the World Cup in 2025 at the end of the cycle, while the remaining teams will compete for two spots in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

“The caliber of cricket is rising, and the only way to keep up is to regularly play competitive cricket.”

“Being included and having the opportunity to play against these top sides is fantastic for us,” said Laura Delany, the Irish Women’s captain, in a video produced by ICC.

The latest cycle will begin on June 1 with Sri Lanka’s three-match series against Pakistan.

The ICC has handed ODI status to five associate nations – Netherlands, PNG, Thailand, Scotland, and the United States – with immediate effect in another move to develop the game and diversify the pool.

“Increasing the number of teams in the ICC Women’s Championship and providing ODI status to five more teams will help us accelerate the growth of the women’s game,” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice said.

“As we observed at the recent ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, more teams playing more regularly promotes a more competitive atmosphere.”