New Delhi: All roads lead to the United Arab Emirates as 10 teams get ready to fight for the coveted Women’s T20 World Cup trophy. The ninth edition of the tournament will kick off with the clash between hosts Bangladesh and Scotland in Sharjah on October 3, Thursday.
Bangladesh are the designated host of the 2024 edition as the tournament was originally slated to be held there but due to the political unrest in the country, the tournament was shifted to UAE.
The tournament will comprise 23 matches leading up to the blockbuster final in Dubai on October 20, Sunday.
As we edge closer to the marquee event, here’s a look at the favourites, challengers and the debutants
Australia will enter the tournament as perennial favourites, having won the last three editions and overall six out of the nine editions. While the team will be without their talismanic skipper Meg Lanning, who hung up his boots following the triumph in South Africa about 18 months ago, Australia would be confident of clinching the trophy for an unprecedented seventh time under the leadership of Alyssa Healy.
Australia are the six-time T20 WC champions. (Getty Images)
With a squad full of match winners including Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney and Grace Harris and the experience of winning multiple titles, Australia will again be the team to beat in this edition.
England is the other nation to be dubbed as the favourite to win the prestigious title. The Three Lioness haven’t tasted success since the inaugural edition in 2009 and will look to end a 15-year-long wait for the Women’s T20 WC Trophy. England head into the tournament in great confidence, having beaten Australia, their main rivals in the ODI and T20I series in women’s Ashes last year. The pitches in UAE will also favour the spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Sarah Glen.
India will look to exorcise their World Cup demons with a successful campaign in familiar conditions in the UAE. It’s been a case of so near yet so far for the Women in Blue in the last three editions. India have reached the semi-finals in the last three editions of the tournament and finished as the runners-up in 2020.
In the previous instalment of the tournament, India endured a semi-final heartbreak after captain Harmanpreet Singh’s unfortunate run-out cost them dearly against eventual winners Australia. Harmanpreet-led side would be aiming to cross the final hurdle, having lost two big T20 finals to Aussies in the last four years – 2020 T20 WC and 2022 Commonwealth Games.
India won both their warm-up games in the tune-up to the tournament. (Getty Images)
India will bank on their top-six batters including the likes of Shafali Varma, Harmanpreet and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and their spin-heavy bowling attack, which could play a crucial role on slower pitches in UAE.
South Africa, will look to cross the final hurdle after finishing as the runner-up in the last edition. The Proteas have the depth to compete at the highest level but might need more than that to challenge for the title.
West Indies, the 2016 champions, have reached the semi-final stage in five of the past eight editions but will need other players to ep up and support the likes of Hayley Matthews, the No. 1 all-rounder and third-best batter in the world. The Caribbean side would also be buoyant by the return of explosive batter Deandra Dottin – one of the most dangerous players in the short format.
West Indies won the title in 2016. (Getty Images)
Scotland are the only debutants in this edition and will become the 12th team to play in the Women’s T20 World Cup. They are in fact will play in a Women’s Cricket World Cup – be it 50 overs or 20 – for the first time. The Scots qualified for the main tournament by making the final of the Qualifier earlier this year.
Scotland will make their World Cup debut. (Getty Images)
Each team will play four group ties with the top two teams from each group progressing to the semi-finals, scheduled for 17-18 October.
Group A:
Australia
India
New Zealand
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Group B:
Bangladesh
England
Scotland
South Africa
West Indies
