Dr philippa inge

The International Cricket Council: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday launched its return to play post‑pregnancy guidelines, offering female cricketers, member boards, and medical staff a structured framework to support players resuming competitive cricket after childbirth.

The guidelines, as part of the ICC’s broader 100% Cricket initiative, aim to normalise conversations around women’s health and ensure that motherhood and professional cricket are not seen as mutually exclusive. The guidelines feature a six‑step ‘6 Rs’ pathway – Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return, and Refine.

All of this covers recovery, medical reviews, gradual training, cricket‑specific conditioning, return to competition, and further monitoring. The move comes amid an increasing number of female cricketers choosing to start families during their playing careers and then successfully returning to resume their on-field commitments.