Amid the burgeoning T20 franchise leagues across the globe, England’s opening batswoman, Tammy Beaumont, is fervently advocating for the preservation of the 50-over format, particularly in the context of women’s cricket. Despite the success of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup in India, the future of the 50-over game has become a topic of extensive discussion.
Speaking on ESPNCricinfo’s Ladies Who Switch podcast, Tammy Beaumont emphasized the need to protect 50-over cricket, especially when only a handful of nations are actively participating in women’s Test cricket. “If only four nations are playing Test cricket in women’s cricket, then we have to protect 50-over cricket at all costs,” she asserted, acknowledging the current impracticality of expanding women’s Test cricket.
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As a member of England’s squad gearing up for the four-day Test against India in Mumbai from December 14-17, Tammy, with an impressive record of 3650 runs in 109 ODIs, stressed the importance of caring for all three formats of the international game. Expressing concern, she urged against the exclusive focus on T20 cricket, highlighting the risk of neglecting other formats, a trend witnessed in men’s cricket.
While acknowledging the progress made in women’s cricket, Tammy urged the community to learn from the pitfalls seen in the men’s game. Despite the commendable growth with Women’s T20 Leagues (WPL) and franchise tournaments, she emphasized the necessity of preserving the roots of the game.
Although not part of England’s T20I team since playing the format internationally two years ago, Tammy remains committed to consistent performances, leaving the selection decisions to those in power. She concluded, “That’s up to the selectors… If I got an opportunity, it would be amazing, but at the same time, just keep going.”
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