Women having to choose between motherhood and representing their country should become entirely a thing of the past after the ICC introduced guidelines for players returning to elite-level cricket post-pregnancy.
During a rest day in the T20 Women's World Cup being played in England, the ICC launched its 'Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines' on Monday, aimed at providing female players, national boards, medical staff, and coaches with a practical reference to support mothers returning to cricket after pregnancy and childbirth.
They are designed to help Member nations develop their own pregnancy and return-to-play policies, in line with local legislation, while supporting player welfare in practical, physical and psychological terms.
Dr Philippa Inge, the Australia team doctor and ICC medical advisory committee member who led the drafting of the guidelines, said the initiative was "designed to show players that having a baby doesn't need to be the end of their career".
"What we're aiming to do with this policy is allow Member nations to facilitate the return to cricket for their players," Dr Inge said. "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."
Increased professionalisation has led to a rise in the number of women choosing to start families during their playing careers and returning to elite cricket after giving birth. While a number of countries have maternity policies in place and several players have returned to the international stage after giving birth, the guidelines are an attempt to provide ICC Members with a template to help their players.
Afy Fletcher, West Indies' 39-year-old legspinner currently playing at the T20 World Cup, gave birth to her son in 2021, and Bismah Maroof took her baby daughter, Fatima, to the 2022 World Cup after making her return to the Pakistan side. Bismah retired in 2024 and has since given birth to a son.
New Zealand allrounder Amy Satterthwaite announced her international retirement in 2022 after being overlooked for a central contract, nearly two years after making her comeback for New Zealand after maternity leave.
Batter Lauren Down retired earlier this year after touring with New Zealand in 2024, six months after having a baby. Masabata Klaas, the South Africa seam bowler, isn't part of their T20 World Cup squad but has played the majority of her international career as a mother to a daughter born in 2013. Both spoke to ESPNcricinfo's Powerplay podcast in 2024 about their experiences.
India's Sneha Deepthi was a mother to a toddler when she was picked up by Delhi Capitals for the inaugural WPL in 2023 and, while she was retained by them for the 2024 season, she didn't play a game in the tournament.
Fletcher, who last year told Powerplay about the challenges of juggling an international career with motherhood, described the move as "one of the best things they could have done for women's cricket".
"Physical recovery was challenging but, more than that, I struggled to leave my child and miss creating precious moments," Fletcher said. "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."
The ICC guidelines are based on a framework called "the 6 Rs" for "Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return and Refine" covering early recovery after birth, medical and wellbeing reviews, gradual return to structured training, cricket-specific conditioning, return to play and ongoing monitoring.
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.