T20 Blast Aligns with Men's Game for 2025

The 2025 T20 Blast season will see a groundbreaking integration of men's and women's cricket, with the competitions officially "fully aligned" for the first time. This historic step includes 52 back-to-back double-header matches across the season, ensuring every first-class county will host at least one such event.  

The season kicks off with the Blast-Off Weekend on Thursday, May 29, featuring double bills in Manchester and Lord's. Key highlights include:  

- The Women’s Finals Day at the Kia Oval on Sunday, July 27.  

- The Men’s Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday, September 13, marking the 13th consecutive year the iconic venue has hosted the event.  

Notable Changes 

- The Edgbaston-based team will be listed as the "Bears," signalling a potential return to the "Warwickshire" name in T20 after 11 years under the Birmingham Bears banner.  

- Defending men’s champions Gloucestershire begin their campaign at home against Kent on May 30, while women’s champions The Blaze open the same day against the Bears at Trent Bridge.  

- A reduced number of back-to-back matches (down by nearly a third) and more midweek fixtures to ensure player welfare, following consultation with the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA).  

A Unified Future for Cricket 

Beth Barrett-Wild, the ECB’s Director of the Women’s Professional Game, hailed the changes as pivotal:  

“This marks the beginning of a new era for professional cricket, one with gender balance at its core.”  

Neil Snowball, ECB Managing Director of Competitions, emphasized the commercial and community benefits:  

“With games at over 25 venues, we are giving more people across England and Wales the chance to experience high-quality men’s and women’s T20 cricket.”  

Blast Groups for 2025 

- Men’s North Group: Bears, Derbyshire Falcons, Durham, Lancashire Lightning, Leicestershire Foxes, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Notts Outlaws, Worcestershire Rapids, Yorkshire Vikings.  

- Men’s South Group: Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire Hawks, Kent Spitfires, Middlesex, Somerset, Sussex Sharks, Surrey.  

- Women’s Blast Group: Bears, Durham, Essex, Hampshire Hawks, Lancashire Thunder, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze.  

- Women’s League 2:  

  - North: Derbyshire Falcons, Leicestershire Foxes, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Worcestershire Rapids, Yorkshire.  

  - South: Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Middlesex, Sussex Sharks.  

The alignment signals a bold new chapter for cricket in England and Wales, celebrating inclusivity and offering fans a unified showcase of the sport.