Barbados among eight teams confirmed for Games

Eight women’s teams will compete in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) have announced.

Sri Lanka, Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa will participate in a Twenty20 tournament, which should also provide an opportunity to give the women’s game greater attention around the world.

Sri Lanka were the last team to confirm their places following a victory in the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifier 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Cricket is the first discipline to announce its complete line-up for Birmingham 2022.

“It’s good to have finalised the identity of the teams participating in the Commonwealth Games and congratulations to Sri Lanka for making it after playing so well in the qualifier,” ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said.

“We will have eight of the best teams competing for the gold and I am sure we will get to watch a highly competitive tournament.

“The Commonwealth Games are an important part of the women’s cricket calendar over the next year.

“It is a huge opportunity for us to take cricket beyond the traditional strongholds and give more people around the world the chance to enjoy the game, whilst the players are very much looking forward to being part of a multi-sport games.”

The tournament is scheduled to open with a match between ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 finalists Australia and India on July 29.

The bronze and gold medal matches are scheduled for August 7.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: “Cricket is a sport synonymous with the Commonwealth.

“The debut of women’s T20 cricket will be an historic moment and a wonderful showcase of women’s sport across the world.”

The two teams are in Group A alongside Barbados and Pakistan while Group B consists of England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

This will be the first time women’s cricket enters the Commonwealth Games and just the second time the sport will feature at the competition since Kuala Lumpur 1998.

Birmingham 2022 will start on July 28 and is due to run until August 8.
(Insidethegames)