The South Asian Cricket Academy will launch its inaugural women's programme for the 2026 season. The fully-funded scheme will select six to ten non-professional British south Asian women for a 12-month high-performance elite programme. Supported by Isa Guha's Take Her Lead charity, this initiative directly addresses the stark underrepresentation of south Asian women in the professional county game, where they currently make up just 3.3% of players.

Since its 2022 founding, SACA has already proven its model with men, helping 18 players secure county contracts and increasing the percentage of south Asian professionals from 4% to 13%. Founder Tom Brown is confident the new women's programme can quickly replicate that success. Guha will chair an advisory group including former England selector Lydia Greenway to ensure the environment supports these players' unique backgrounds and ambitions.

This pilot represents a targeted intervention in a sport where south Asian female talent has been consistently overlooked. By providing elite coaching and mentorship, the academy aims to create a clear pathway to the professional game. The programme's success will be measured not just by contracts won, but by whether it forces county clubs to finally broaden their talent scouting networks.