Cricket
India, England to make history as Lord's hosts first Women's Test after 142 years
England and India will script history at Lord's, where women were barred from MCC membership until 1998 and the Pavilion until 1999.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana (Photo credit: ICC/Twitter)
Cricket's most iconic venue is set to witness a landmark moment as Lord's hosts its first-ever women's Test when England take on India from July 10.
The fixture comes 142 years after the ground staged its first men's Test in 1884, ending a long wait that reflects the sport's gradual journey towards gender equality.
The absence of a women's Test at Lord's was rooted in the traditions of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which operated as a men-only institution for more than two centuries.
Women were not allowed to become MCC members until a membership vote in 1998, while female spectators were barred from entering the Pavilion during play until 1999.
Even England legend Rachael Heyhoe Flint, one of the pioneers of women's cricket, had campaigned for years before Lord's agreed to host its first women's international, a One-Day International against Australia in 1976.
Half a century after that breakthrough, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur will lead their sides onto the field from the famous Pavilion, marking another milestone in the venue's history.
The match also makes Lord's the 20th ground in England to host a women's Test, despite the national team playing the format since 1937.
Head-to-head record
India will be looking to bounce back after suffering a 10-wicket defeat to England in the most recent women's Test between the two sides.
However, Harmanpreet Kaur's side had won the previous three Tests against England, including a record 347-run victory in Navi Mumbai in 2023.
Overall, the two teams have met 16 times in the format, with India holding the edge with four wins to England's two, while 10 matches have ended in draws.
India have also enjoyed success in English conditions, losing just one of their 10 women's Tests in the country, with two wins and seven draws.
Women's Tests are played over four days instead of five, with a minimum of 100 overs scheduled each day and a follow-on target of 150 runs.
To commemorate the occasion, 50 former England women cricketers will ring the famous Five-minute Bell before the opening ball at Lord's. The match will be streamed live on Sony LIV, with television coverage available on the Sony Sports Network.