Australia draw India, Proteas as 2026 T20 WC schedule revealed

Australia will need to overcome a challenging group if they are to win a seventh ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title in England next year.

Alyssa Healy’s team, whose hopes of a fourth-straight title were dashed when they made a shock semi-final exit at the hands of South Africa at last year’s tournament in the United Arab Emirates, will begin their campaign against the Proteas on June 13, 2026.

Australia have been placed in Group 1 alongside South Africa, India, Pakistan and two yet-to-be-determined qualifiers for the expanded 12-team event.

Defending champions New Zealand meanwhile have been placed in Group 2 alongside hosts England, 2024 semi-finalists West Indies, Bangladesh and another two qualifiers.  

Australia's Group 1 Women's T20 World Cup 2026 schedule

June 13: v South Africa, Old Trafford, Manchester, 11.30pm AEST

 

June 17: v Qualifier, Headingly, Leeds, 7.30pm AEST

 

June 20: v Qualifier, Rose Bowl, Hampshire, 7.30pm AEST

 

June 23: v Pakistan, Headingly, Leeds (3.30am June 24 AEST)

 

June 28: v India, Lord's, London, 11.30pm AEST

 

Finals

Semi-final 1: The Oval, London, June 30, 11.30pm AEST

 

Semi-final 2: The Oval, London, July 2 (3.30am July 2 AEST)

 

Final: Lord's, London, July 5, 11.30pm AEST

Australia will also contend with two unfamiliar venues, beginning their campaign against the Proteas at Old Trafford in Manchester, before making the short trip to Leeds to play Pakistan at Headingley on June 17.

From there, Australia head south to play a qualifier in Southampton on June 20, before returning north to meet a second qualifier at Headingley (June 23).

A mouthwatering showdown with India at Lord’s beckons on June 28 to round out Australia’s group stage.

The semi-finals will be played at The Oval (June 30 and July 2), while Lord’s will host the final on July 5.

It will mark the Australian women's team's first ever visits to Headingley, which is also due to host the one-off Test in the 2027 Ashes, and Old Trafford. 

Australia’s schedule does not include Bristol’s county ground or Edgbaston, venues that have regularly hosted the world’s top-ranked team in recent years.

But they will be eager to return to The Oval and Lord’s after playing in front of large crowds at the iconic grounds during the 2023 Ashes, and the Rose Bowl in Hampshire, where they claimed a thrilling three-run ODI win to officially retain the trophy during that enthralling multi-format series.

The tournament will begin at Edgbaston when England play Sri Lanka on June 12, the first of 33 games in 24 days.

The top eight finishers from last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates have already qualified, while the remaining four teams will be determined at a qualifying tournament early next year.

The allocation of top-tier venues for the tournament illustrates the progress the women’s game has made in England in recent years.

While Lord’s hosted the final of the 2017 50-over World Cup, other venues used at that tournament included county grounds in Taunton, Leicester, Bristol and Derby.

Cricket's return to the Commonwealth Games in 2022 attracted strong crowds to host venue Edgbaston, while the 2023 multi-format Ashes saw Australia play England in front of 20,000-plus crowds at Lord's, Edgbaston and The Oval.

The release of the 2026 T20 World Cup schedule follows the confirmation of Australia’s fixtures for this year’s one-day World Cup, to be played in India and Sri Lanka in October.

A men’s T20 World Cup, also held in India and Sri Lanka, is due to be held in February and March next year.