Australia's revamped World Cup schedule revealed

Australia’s updated schedule for the next women’s 50-over World Cup has been confirmed, with Meg Lanning’s team to begin their campaign against reigning champions England at Hamilton's Seddon Park.

The ODI World Cup was due to be held in New Zealand next February and March but was postponed until the start of 2022 due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The new schedule is not a carbon copy of the 2021 version, but the 31-day, 31-game event will still be held across six different cities on both the North and South islands.

It will begin on March 4, 2022, when New Zealand meet a yet-to-be-determined qualifier at Tauranga’s Bay Oval, while Australia’s campaign starts one day later on March 5.

The final will be held under lights at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on April 3.

Unlike the T20 World Cup, the one-day edition does not have two pools, instead all eight competing teams play each other once, with the top four progressing to the semi-finals.

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Australia's 2022 World Cup schedule

March 5: Australia v England at Seddon Park, Hamilton

March 8: Australia v TBC at Bay Oval, Tauranga

March 13: Australia v New Zealand at Basin Reserve, Wellington

March 15: Australia v TBC at Basin Reserve, Wellington

March 19: Australia v India at Eden Park, Auckland

March 22: Australia v South Africa at Basin Reserve, Wellington

March 25: Australia v TBC at Basin Reserve, Wellington

Finals

March 30: Semi-final 1 at Basin Reserve, Wellington

March 31: Semi-final 2 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch

April 3: Final at Hagley Oval, Christchurch

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While Australia’s original schedule for the 2021 event started at Eden Park and included at least one game every venue except Dunedin, the revised fixture keeps Australia entirely on the North Island throughout the regular matches and features four matches at Wellington’s Basin Reserve.

Lanning will relish a return to Bay Oval for Australia's second game on March 8 (against a yet-to-be-determined qualifying team) where she has scored three of her 14 ODI centuries.

Australia will face off against hosts New Zealand in their third game on March 13 at Wellington's Basin Reserve.

Image Id: F8401BC22BCD48C7990B1C0FF07B3E93 Image Caption: Australia have won the last two T20 World Cups // Getty

The ODI World Cup is the only major piece of silverware missing from Australia’s trophy cabinet and Lanning’s side will head in as the team to beat after winning their last 21 one-day matches.

However, Australia will not be complacent after being knocked out by India in the semi-final of the 2017 tournament in the United Kingdom.

Australia had also headed into that event as heavy favourites, but their hopes of playing in front of a sell-out crowd at Lord's in the final were dashed when India's Harmanpreet Kaur smashed an unbeaten 171 to lead her side to an upset semi-final victory in Derby.

That defeat not only left the Australians shattered, but also prompted a complete re-think of their strategies and approach.

Qualification for the ODI World Cup is determined by the ICC Women's ODI Championship, which sees the top eight teams earn points through bilateral one-day series across a three-year period, playing three ODIs against each of the other even sides.

Australia secured their ticket to the World Cup after winning the Championship for the second time, while New Zealand automatically qualified as hosts.

Image Id: 266FB93D042A4929A00C49D1E01029A1 Image Caption: England are the reigning ODI World Cup champions // Getty

England, South Africa and India have also earned their places at the tournament, with the remaining three teams still to be decided.

The qualifying tournament, which had been due to be held in Sri Lanka in July, has been rescheduled for June 26-July 10, 2021.

West Indies, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will compete at that tournament alongside seven other sides – Thailand, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea and the United States.