All you need to know: T20 Spring Challenge 2026

What is the Spring Challenge all about?

After making its debut in 2024, the Spring T20 Challenge is back for a third season. The tournament was introduced to the cricket calendar to ensure the country's top women's domestic talent did not lose out on matches following a decision to trim the WBBL regular season from 14 to 10 games per team.

The Spring Challenge is a nine-team competition featuring the eight Big Bash clubs along with the ACT Meteors, and will once again give an opportunity to the WBBL clubs and players to fine tune their preparations for the season.

It's also a platform for the uncontracted players to make their case for the remaining deals on offer. Clubs are required to keep at least one spot on their WBBL list open for a domestic Australian player in their Spring Challenge squad.

The Hobart Hurricanes, who are also the reigning WBBL champions, are going for a third-straight title after taking out the first two editions. 

The where and when

The Spring Challenge will be played in carnival style in Sydney across 10 days. The 18 round-robin matches will be hosted across four venues – Blacktown International Sports Park, Bankstown Oval, Hurstville Oval and Raby Oval – before the finals are held at Cricket Central.

The tournament will begin on Monday, October 12, with eight of the teams in action across two venues.

Two-time reigning champions Hobart Hurricanes will take on the Meteors in Blacktown, followed by the Renegades playing the Scorchers. Across town at Hurstville Oval, the Sydney Sixers will meet the Brisbane Heat, and Sydney Thunder will face the Melbourne Stars.

What's the format?

All nine teams will play four other sides in the league stage of the tournament. The top four performers will progress to the semi-finals to be played on October 20, with the final on October 21.  

See the full fixture here

How can I watch?

Every game will be streamed live on Kayo, cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.

All games will be open to the public and free to attend for cricket fans.

Player availability

The tournament will once again coincide with international cricket, this time Australia's white-ball series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. While that rules the majority of the CA contracted players out of action, the Spring Challenge will help clubs test their bench strength ahead of the WBBL and give fans a chance to watch the future stars of the game in action.

Overseas signing Heather Knight (Sydney Thunder) who called time on her international career in July and who did not play in The Hundred, will fly to Australia early to join up with her club for the competition.

Grace Harris will line up for the Brisbane Heat after being left out of Australia's T20I squad to play New Zealand and she'll be joined by England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn, but the Heat are without Jess Jonassen, who is being managed ahead of WBBL|12.

CA-contracted quick Chloe Ainsworth (Scorchers) and allrounder Heather Graham (Hurricanes) are available for their clubs. The Sixers, meanwhile, are without wicketkeeper-batter Maddy Darke who is recovering from bone stress in her leg. 

Exciting 16-year-old leg-spinner Aya Stafford is one youngster to keep an eye on. She played for the Heat in last year's Spring Challenge and recently debuted for Queensland - and has also played T20 International cricket for Japan, her mother's country of birth - but this year she's been snapped up by the Hurricanes. Hobart, however, will be missing Lizelle Lee, who is managing a low-grade injury.

Full squad lists

ACT Meteors: Paris Bowdler, Rachel Carroll, Zoe Cooke (vc), Brie Dillon, Angelina Genford, Amy Hunter, Grace Lyons (c), Caity Mair, Shivani Mehta, Anesu Mushangwe, Aanya Siingh, Amber Smith, Stella Wilde

Adelaide Strikers: Emma de Broughe, Maggie Clark, Emmerson Filsell, Ellie Johnston, Eleanor Larosa, Isabella Malgiolgio, Courtney Neale, Bridget Patterson, Meddie Penna, Kate Peterson, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Ella Wilson, Elizabeth Worthley

Unavailable players: Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt (both Aus duties), Darcie Brown (back)

Brisbane Heat: Georgia Redmayne (c), Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, Lucy Bourke, Sianna Ginger, Sarah Glenn (England), Grace Harris, Charli Knott, Annie O’Neil, Clodagh Ryall, Filippa SueSee, Catherine White, Mikayla Wrigley

Unavailable players: Lucy Hamilton (Aus duties), Jess Jonassen (managed), Grace Parsons (injury)

Hobart Hurricanes: Ira Aery, Mia Barwick, Ava Curtis, Heather Graham (c), Ella Hayward, Ruth Johnston, Kate Pelle, Tabatha Saville, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Aya Stafford, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman 

Unavailable players: Nicola Carey (Aus duties), Callie Wilson, Lauren Smith (injury), Lizelle Lee (injury) 

Melbourne Renegades: Ava Drury, Nicola Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Annabell Glossop, Milly Illingworth, Sara Kennedy, Olivia Porter, Sophie Reid, Tarah Staines, Tayla Vlaeminck, Courtney Webb, Annie Wikman, Lucy Wilson   

Unavailable players: Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham (both Aus duties)

Melbourne Stars: Aanliya Cheeran, Sophie Day, Samara Dulvin, Maisy Gibson, Meg Lanning, Carly Leeson, Bronte Leishman, Emma Manix-Geeves, Rhys McKenna, Indigo Noble, Georgia Prestwidge, Zoe Samuel, Naomi Stalenberg

Unavailable players: Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland (both Aus duties)

Perth Scorchers: Chloe Ainsworth, Alyssa Dermody, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Friday (nee Hinkley), Ebony Hoskin, Katie Mack, Shay Manolini, Rebecca McGrath, Ines McKeon, Lilly Mills, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo (c), Ruby Strange

Unavailable players: Beth Mooney, Alana King (both Aus duties)

Sydney Sixers: Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns (c), Stella Campbell, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Else Hunter, Lauren Kua, Claire Moore, Juliette Morton, Frankie Nicklin, Courtney Sippel, Hayley Zauch

Unavailable players: Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry (both Aus duties), Maddy Darke (leg)

Sydney Thunder: Jemma Barsby, Sam Bates, Olivia Callaghan, Hannah Darlington, Lucy Finn, Tara French, Hasrat Gill, Nicola Hancock, Laura Harris, Heather Knight (England), Anika Learoyd, Alexandra Mavros, Kate McTaggart, Emily Powell, Eva Ragg, Tahlia Wilson

Unavailable players: Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll (both Aus duties)