The first women’s Test at Lord’s begins on Friday, and it is hard to overstate what the occasion means. In the 142 years since the ground staged its first men’s Test, England’s women have never played the longest format at the Home of Cricket. That changes at 11am on 10 July, when Nat Sciver-Brunt leads England down the pavilion steps to face Harmanpreet Kaur’s India in a four-day, one-off Test.
More than 30,000 tickets have already been sold across the four days, a record for a women’s Test in the UK. Here is everything you need to know about the match, the squads, Tammy Beaumont’s farewell, and the history both sides are carrying into it — as of July 2026.
Why is this women’s Test at Lord’s historic?
England have been playing Test cricket since the inaugural women’s Ashes in 1934, yet Lord’s never hosted them. According to Sky Sports, England’s women have played 55 Tests at 19 venues around the country without once being given the main stage in St John’s Wood — a ground where women were barred from the MCC and the pavilion until March 1999.
The turning point came in June 2023, when the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket described the absence of women’s Test cricket at Lord’s as part of a “truly appalling” record. Three years on, the fixture is finally here — and it falls exactly 50 years after Rachael Heyhoe Flint led England out for the first women’s match of any kind at Lord’s, in 1976.
“It’s a historic Test match for us as a group and for the Indian team,” England coach Charlotte Edwards said. “We can’t wait to play in front of a lot of people over the four days.”
Is this Tammy Beaumont’s last England appearance?
Yes. Beaumont announced this week that she will retire from international cricket at the end of the Lord’s Test, closing a career of nearly 17 years. She leaves as England Women’s record ODI century-maker with 12 hundreds, one of only two Englishwomen to score international centuries in all three formats, and the first to make a Test double-century — her 208 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2023 broke an 88-year-old England record. She was also Player of the Tournament when England won the 2017 World Cup on home soil.
“This Test match at Lord’s — our first ever women’s Test at Lord’s — feels like the perfect occasion to sign off on a career that I could never have dreamt would be as special as it has been,” Beaumont said. England Women’s managing director Clare Connor called her contribution “remarkable”, adding: “It is impossible to put into words or measure the impact Tammy has had on our sport.”
Beaumont, who missed England’s T20 World Cup campaign, returns to the side for her farewell and will continue to play domestic cricket.
Who is in the England squad?
England have named a 15-player squad: Nat Sciver-Brunt (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Grace Potts, Ellie Threlkeld, Mady Villiers and Issy Wong.
It is a squad with a striking mix of experience and new faces. Heather Knight is in line for her 15th Test, while Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman and Mady Villiers are among those hoping for Test debuts, and Grace Potts and Ellie Threlkeld earn first Test call-ups. Sky Sports reports that Charlie Dean’s workload is being managed following a back injury over the winter, with Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson also rested after a taxing T20 World Cup.
Who is in the India squad?
India’s 15: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh, Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Sneh Rana, Sayali Satghare, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh, Nandani Sharma and Shree Charani.
Harleen Deol, left-arm spinner Shree Charani and seamer Nandani Sharma are all yet to play Test cricket, while Sneh Rana returns to the country where she produced one of Indian cricket’s great rearguards — an unbeaten 80 in 2021 that saved a Test after India had been made to follow on.
What is England’s Test record against India?
Sobering reading for the hosts. England’s only Test win over India in 15 attempts came back in 1995, a two-run thriller in Jamshedpur, with three defeats and 11 draws in the other meetings. The most recent encounter, in December 2023, ended in a 347-run hammering in India, with England bowled out for 136 and 131.
India, meanwhile, have never lost a Test on British soil — unbeaten in nine visits, with two wins and seven draws.
| England vs India, women’s Tests | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches played | 15 |
| England wins | 1 (Jamshedpur, 1995) |
| India wins | 3 |
| Draws | 11 |
| India’s record in Tests in England | Unbeaten in 9 (2 wins, 7 draws) |
How are both teams shaping up?
England arrive with wounds still fresh. Less than a week ago, on this same ground, they lost the T20 World Cup final to Australia by seven wickets as the Southern Stars claimed a record-extending seventh title. Sciver-Brunt’s response to that defeat suggested a captain determined to turn pain into momentum, and the tournament still delivered milestones, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s record-setting campaign.
Seamer Lauren Filer believes the final defeat need not linger. “[Losing the World Cup final] was a disappointment, but we played so well in the World Cup,” she told Sky Sports this week. “I think the girls that have come from that final that are coming into this Test match know what great cricket they’ve played. Hopefully the fresh faces coming in as well bring some energy and excitement around the game.”
India’s T20 World Cup also ended short of the trophy, but their red-ball pedigree in England — and a batting order featuring Mandhana, Rodrigues and Harmanpreet — makes them formidable opponents. The fixture is another landmark in a period of rapid growth for the women’s game, which administrators have hailed as a golden era for women’s cricket.
How can I watch the Lord’s Test?
Sky Sports Cricket carries the match live from 10am each day, with the first ball at 11am, from Friday 10 July through to Monday 13 July if the game goes the distance. It is a four-day Test — one more distinction from the men’s five-day format — and it headlines a packed English summer that also features the men’s T20I series against India.
What happens next?
A full house on day one would make its own statement about where women’s Test cricket belongs. For England, the match offers a farewell for one of their greats and a chance to end a 31-year wait for a Test win over India. For India, it is an opportunity to extend an unbeaten away record into a 10th match — on the biggest stage the women’s game in England has ever been given.
Frequently asked questions
When does the first women’s Test at Lord’s start?
Friday 10 July 2026, with the first ball at 11am UK time. The match is scheduled for four days, ending no later than Monday 13 July.
Why has Lord’s never hosted a women’s Test before?
Women were barred from the MCC and the Lord’s pavilion until March 1999, and scheduling never brought a women’s Test to the ground afterwards. The 2023 ICEC report criticised that record, and this fixture is the response.
Is Tammy Beaumont retiring?
Yes — Beaumont will retire from international cricket after this Test, ending a near 17-year England career, though she will continue to play domestic cricket.
How many tickets have been sold?
More than 30,000 across the four days — already the highest for a women’s Test match staged in the UK.
