ICC Unveils Comprehensive Post-Pregnancy Guidelines for Female Cricketers
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially launched its Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines for female cricketers, a framework designed to provide players, Member Boards, medical professionals, and coaches with practical support for returning to cricket after pregnancy. This initiative is part of the ICC's broader commitment to player health, wellbeing, and the growth of women's cricket.
As women's cricket becomes increasingly professional and career opportunities expand, more players are choosing to start families during their playing careers and return to elite cricket after giving birth. The guidelines aim to facilitate this process, according to an ICC media release.
Health and Welfare as Strategic Priorities
The health and welfare of female cricketers are central pillars in the ICC's approach to women's cricket, which is one of the ICC's six strategic priorities. The ICC has rolled out a range of women's health initiatives under the 100% Cricket movement to educate players and staff, build awareness, and normalize important conversations in sporting environments.
The Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines are designed to help Members develop their own pregnancy and return-to-play policies in line with local legislation while supporting player welfare through practical, physical, and psychological guidance.
The 6 Rs Framework for Safe Return
To support a safe and sustainable return to cricket, the guidelines outline the 6 Rs framework: Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return, and Refine. This approach covers early recovery after birth, medical and wellbeing reviews, gradual return to structured training, cricket-specific conditioning, return to play, and ongoing monitoring once a player is back in the cricket environment.
The drafting of the guidelines was led by ICC Medical Advisory Committee member and Australia Team Doctor, Dr. Philippa Inge, who helped outline practical support considerations. These include 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.
Expert and Player Perspectives
Dr. Inge 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 Doctor added.
West Indies cricketer Afy Fletcher, who is competing at the ICC World Cup 2026 after giving birth to her son in 2021, believes these guidelines will lead to more players returning to cricket after pregnancy. "I think it's really good that the ICC is giving cricket boards policies to look after women after pregnancy. 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," said Fletcher.
Of her own return, Fletcher said: "Physical recovery was challenging, but 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."
ICC Chairman Emphasizes Inclusion and Opportunity
ICC Chairman Jay Shah said: "The continued growth of women's cricket must be built on opportunity, inclusion and care for our players at every stage of their lives and careers. No player should have to choose between motherhood and representing her country at the highest level."
"The ICC's Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines are an important step in creating a more supportive and informed environment across the game. By providing Members with practical guidance, we want to ensure that female cricketers are supported through pregnancy and empowered to return to cricket with confidence," he added.
"As women's cricket continues to grow globally, it is essential that we protect player welfare, retain talented athletes and strengthen pathways for current and future generations. These Guidelines reflect our commitment to building a game where women can thrive, both on and off the field," he concluded.
