The International Cricket Council has launched its Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines for female cricketers, offering players, Member Boards, medical professionals and coaches a framework to support a return to cricket after pregnancy.
The ICC said the move fits its focus on player health, wellbeing and the growth of women’s cricket.
The guidelines come as women’s cricket becomes more professional, with more players choosing to start families during their careers and return to elite cricket after giving birth. The ICC said female health and welfare are central to its approach, which is one of its six strategic priorities, and part of its wider work under the 100% Cricket movement.
6 Rs framework and member support
The Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines are meant to help Members build their own pregnancy and return-to-play policies in line with local legislation. They give practical, physical and psychological advice, and set out the 6 Rs framework: Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return and Refine.
The framework covers early recovery after birth, medical and wellbeing reviews, a gradual return to structured training, cricket-specific conditioning, return to play and ongoing monitoring after a player is back in the cricket environment. The ICC said the document is designed as a template that can be adapted to different local settings.
Practical support and player views
The drafting was led by ICC Medical Advisory Committee member and Australia Team Doctor, Dr. Philippa Inge. She outlined support ideas such as 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.
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.”
West Indies player Afy Fletcher, who is competing at the ICC World Cup 2026 after giving birth to her son in 2021, said the guidelines could help more players return after pregnancy. She said motherhood and elite cricket should not be seen as separate, and added that support, health and patience are key.
An ICC Spokesperson said the growth of women’s cricket must be matched by the environments around players, and that the guidelines are an important step in supporting female cricketers through every stage of their careers. The spokesperson said the aim is to support informed choices, protect player welfare and retain more talent in the game.