Lisa Keightley, head coach of MI London, has expressed disappointment over the lack of female head coaches in the upcoming season of The Hundred.

During the inaugural Women’s Hundred auction held in London, Keightley noticed she was the only female head coach present, highlighting the continuing gender gap in coaching roles within the women’s game.

Growing Women’s Cricket but Coaching Gap Remains

Keightley acknowledged that women’s cricket is rapidly growing, driven largely by competitive T20 leagues in major cricket nations like India, England and Australia. These leagues are increasing player salaries and improving opportunities in the sport.

However, she said the absence of female head coaches at franchise level is disappointing, even though some women are working in assistant coaching roles.

Female Coaches Present in Support Roles

Former England players were part of the auction room in assistant positions:

• Sarah Taylor – assistant coach with Manchester Originals

• Anya Shrubsole – assistant coach with Southern Brave

Taylor has already built a strong coaching résumé across men’s and women’s teams and believes she could become a head coach in the future.

Keightley’s Advice to Female Coaches

Keightley encouraged women aspiring to coaching leadership roles to take opportunities when they arise and not doubt their readiness.

She said women often feel more comfortable remaining assistants but stressed that stepping into head coach roles requires confidence and willingness to take risks.

Building MI London’s Squad

At the auction, MI London already had several international stars signed, including:

• Hayley Matthews

• Amelia Kerr

• Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The team added further players such as:

• Chinelle Henry

• Nicola Carey

• Kira Chathli

Chathli was purchased for £80,000 after an impressive 2025 season in which she scored 220 runs with a strike rate above 150.

Looking Ahead

Despite the coaching imbalance, Keightley believes change will come gradually as more former players move into coaching roles and gain experience. She expects the situation to improve over the next five years as women continue to enter the coaching pipeline.