100% Cricket Future Leaders programme marks more global outcomes with successful coaches initiative

• 31 budding female coaches from 22 ICC Member nations benefit from the new initiative launched earlier this year

• 2024 cohort gain valuable experience through practical coaching and mentorship sessions delivered at ICC pathway events

Following the conclusion of the final 100% Cricket Future Leaders Programme for coaches in Ajman, UAE last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is reflecting on a year since the initiative was launched, from which 31 female coaches representing 22 ICC Member nations have benefitted.

Introduced earlier this year as part of an enhanced Future Leaders Programme, the coaches’ initiative aims to support the ambitions of the ICC’s women’s cricket strategy by addressing the underrepresentation of females in leadership positions within the sport.

The programme not only aims to provide exposure to a high-stakes tournament environment for aspiring females, but also to establish a roadmap for assistant coaches to eventually secure head coach positions at all levels of international cricket.

Delivered at regional pathway events on the road to the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, the 2024 cohort has been engaged through a blend of practical coaching and mentorship sessions to nurture their skills in a high performance environment and carve opportunities for their future growth.

The programme started in Bali, Indonesia back in May, where ten female coaches across the East-Asia Pacific region were embedded into the six participating teams in the EAP Qualifier, launching a six-month learning journey under the guidance of ICC Hall of Famer, Cathryn Fitzpatrick.

Elsewhere, qualifying events in Aberdeen (Scotland), Kigali (Rwanda) and Ajman provided a platform for more emerging female coaches to participate in high performance coaching workshops and gather world-class insights from former international cricketers and elite coaches, Dr Jane Powell, Dinesha Devnarain and Sana Mir.

Manager – Women’s Cricket at the ICC, Snehal Pradhan expressed her delight at the conclusion of the first year of the programme: “Even at ICC women’s events, we see a low number of female coaches. This 100% Cricket initiative is part of a long-term plan to support more women taking up head coaching positions, starting from our pathway events and leading all the way up to the World Cup stage.

“The ICC regional offices have worked really hard to bring this to life, aided by the excellent mentors we have been lucky to engage.”

A mentor coach as part of the 100% Cricket Future Leaders programme, Sana Mir, added: “Being involved in the programme was very enriching. The ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup has opened up more opportunities for female coaches.

“ICC's effort to support the coaches in their journey is great. So many times coaches fall off the radar, so this will not only help them to be actively supported by their boards, but also benefit from continuous learning to take their coaching to the next level.

“Mentors are so important to the cause and it's crucial for young coaches to be able to share their challenges openly so together we can remove bottle necks, support younger players and inspire more female leaders within the sport.”