The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced a landmark two-year deal with Unilever’s personal care brands including Rexona and Dove, marking the ICC’s first dedicated commercial partner for women’s cricket through until the end of 2027.
Announced through a criiio cricket festival event in Dubai featuring 100 girls and coinciding with International Women’s Day, the first-of-its-kind partnership marks a significant milestone for the sport, with two pioneering forces teaming up to boost the games’ promising trajectory.
Women’s cricket continues to witness transformative growth at all levels, notably with the expansion of ICC events. This partnership strengthens the ICC’s ambition to accelerate the development of women’s cricket on a global scale, kicking off at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 in India.
The partnership will include other major events in the international calendar including Women’s T20 World Cups, U19 Women’s T20 World Cups and the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027.
Rexona is the world’s leading deodorant brand, with a purpose to inspire people to move more and give them confidence to break their limits.
Ranging from the Flag Bearers programme to digital initiatives and experiences during event-time, ICC and Rexona will work across a range of activities that aims to break barriers and give confidence to women and girls on the world stage.
Beyond major events, Rexona will play a pivotal role in enabling participation through a series of women’s criiio festivals while also using its expertise in science and technology to lend support and collaborate on education programmes around women’s hygiene.
ICC Chairman, Jay Shah said: “This International Women’s Day we are proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Unilever, which signifies a pivotal moment for women’s cricket. By aligning with a global leader like Unilever and its personal care brands for the ICC’s first ever women’s partnership, we are not only securing valuable commercial support but also reinforcing the growing importance of women’s sport on the world stage.
“This collaboration will empower female cricketers, inspire future generations, and contribute significantly to the continued growth and success of women’s cricket globally.”
ICC Chief Commercial Officer, Anurag Dahiya said: “We are delighted to welcome Unilever’s personal care brands, including Rexona and Dove to the ICC Commercial Partner Programme in this breakthrough partnership.”
“The ICC has taken the forward-thinking approach to pursue more partnerships with a focus on the women’s game, and we are delighted to see this come to fruition through this exciting deal, which not only highlights the growing commercial appeal of women’s cricket but also underlines ICC’s position as one of the pioneers of the women’s sport movement.”
Rohit Jawa, CEO & Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever said: “This is an exciting opportunity for Rexona, one of our biggest Personal Care brands, to tap into a cultural moment, connect with new audiences, and importantly help drive women’s cricket further. The partnership is an ideal fit for the brand, which aims to empower millions with the confidence to move more by delivering superior sweat and odour protection benefits.’’
The partnership with ICC is forged by Unilever International – Unilever’s whitespace partner and global business unit.
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