WI Women going it alone

West Indies Women will not be allowed to compete as a team at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Instead, a regional Qualifying tournament to determine which island will compete at the Games will have to be staged by Cricket West Indies (CWI). Under the International Cricket Council (ICC), West Indies compete as a single entity but the Games is not an ICC-organised event. Ten sovereign states make up the West Indies, plus a number of British, Dutch and American overseas territories, meaning the team itself is not eligible to appear at the Commonwealth Games, but many of the constituent countries are.

With West Indies unable to compete as one entity, this year’s T20 Blaze – the Cricket West Indies women’s domestic championship – will determine the country which joins the several global powerhouses. CWI last hosted the T20 Blaze in 2019 when Barbados emerged winners in the tournament staged in Guyana. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic wiped out all domestic women’s cricket in the Caribbean last year and has continued to keep a question mark over the hosting of the T20 Blaze this year.

With women’s cricket not overly strong in the individual islands, as compared to those countries which have qualified such as England and India, the chances of the team eventually chosen from the Caribbean are expected to be considerably weakened.

Cricket, which is the first discipline to announce qualifying teams for the Games, is making a landmark re-entry to the prestigious multi-sport event that is scheduled for July 28 to August 8 next year.

The ICC and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) made the announcement today as women’s cricket features in the Games for the first time in 22 editions and cricket for only the second time ever, the first occasion being a men’s ODI competition in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, which was won by South Africa.

The six qualifiers who join home team England in the eight-team Twenty20 competition are Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and the selected country from the West Indies. They have secured qualification as a result of their standings in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings on 1 April 2021.

The last participating team will be decided through a Qualifying tournament to be held by 31 January 2022, details of which will be announced in due course.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete across 11 spectacular days of sport. Birmingham 2022 will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men.

The Commonwealth Games cricket tournament will take place at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium, with tickets set to go on sale later this year.

ICC Acting Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “We are incredibly proud and excited to be part of Birmingham 2022 and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women’s game globally.

“We are committed to maintaining the momentum that saw 86,174 fans packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last year and Birmingham 2022 gives us another global stage on which to showcase the women’s game.

“On behalf of the ICC and its Members, I thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for their support and look forward to seeing some superb cricket at Edgbaston.”

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin noted: “It is an exciting milestone to be announcing the first teams to qualify for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Cricket is a sport that is synonymous with the Commonwealth and we are so excited to have it back in the Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998.

“The debut of women’s T20 cricket will be a historic moment for Commonwealth Sport and a wonderful showcase for women’s sport across the world. Congratulations to the teams that have now booked their spot to compete at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium for what I am certain will be an unforgettable tournament.”

England captain Heather Knight stated: “We’re really excited about hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and it offers a big opportunity for women’s cricket, both in England and Wales and around the world.

“With direct entry into the competition confirmed, we’re one step closer to being on the pitch in Birmingham, and the prospect of potentially winning a medal is something that will be at the back of our minds across the next 12 months.

“It’s going to be a fantastic competition, a real chance to showcase the women’s game to a huge audience and it’s one we’re thrilled to be taking part in.”

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur stated: “It’s great to be confirmed a place in the Commonwealth Games. We are raring to go, confident of doing well after having made the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

“It is an awesome opportunity for both the women’s game and cricket to make a mark at the prestigious multi-discipline Games and we hope to return with loads of good memories.”

South Africa captain Sune Luus added: “Participating in the Commonwealth Games will be an awesome experience for the teams and a tremendous opportunity to take cricket to new audiences.

“We have been constantly improving as a side and will go into the event hoping to emulate our men’s team, which won gold the only previous time cricket featured in the Games.” (PR)