Australia's World Cup champions have been snubbed by India's powerful cricket board, which is set to stage an all-star women's Twenty20 exhibition series without a single Australian.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed the three squads that will take part in a four-match series held in Jaipur on May 6-11, running alongside the men's Indian Premier League finals.
The list of 39 players includes representatives from England, New Zealand and West Indies but every member of the squad that won last year's T20 World Cup has been overlooked.
AAP understands Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy agreed to - and were slated to - take part in the event.
It's believed Cricket Australia (CA), having negotiated with the BCCI on behalf of the star trio and signed off the requisite paperwork for contracts, were fully expecting Lanning, Perry and Healy to be part of the series.
CA officials, some of which still hold out hope the Australian trio could receive late call-ups, were shocked by the BCCI's squad announcement.
The saga comes after CA unsuccessfully lobbied the BCCI to change dates of a men's ODI series between the nations in India, which will take place during the next Australian summer.
Lanning's team are required to be in Brisbane for an Ashes training camp that starts on May 13.
CA, having arguably done more to grow the women's game than any other nation, insists that it never suggested players would be unavailable during talks with the BCCI.
"We have been working with the BCCI on this and assisted them with activating the visa process earlier in the week," a CA spokesperson said.
"We confirmed yesterday that the players would be released.
"There was no indication at that time that there were any problems with this and the BCCI were grateful for the support of the women's IPL.
"We are very supportive of the women's IPL."
The snub generated plenty of outrage in Australian cricket circles, with many staggered the BCCI only finalised squads a week and a half out from the exhibition series.
A women's IPL exhibition match was staged last year and Australia fielded the largest overseas contingent.
That game was hailed as a success by all involved, with players and officials around the world hoping the BCCI will soon launch a women's IPL.
Healy and Lanning indicated last month they would jump at the chance to play in the Indian T20 series.
"I'm sure a lot of the girls would be willing to stick their hand up for it," Healy said.
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