Women’s World T20 Guide

What is it?

The ICC Women’s World T20 is a biannual 20-over tournament between the top 10 20-over nations. The first tournament was held in 2009 in England and of the five tournaments to date, Australia have won it a remarkable three times, claiming a back-to-back-to-back titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. But their winning streak ended in India in 2016, when West Indies claimed their first title.

When and where is it?

The Caribbean! Group matches are to be played in Guyana and St Lucia, while the semi-finals and final will be played at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua. It all begins with a blockbuster triple-header on Friday, November 9. The action begins with New Zealand taking on India at 11am (2am Saturday AEDT) before Australia kick off their campaign against Pakistan at 4pm (7am AEDT) while hosts West Indies and Bangladesh will complete the day with a match beginning at 8pm (11am AEDT). The group matches continue until November 18, before semi-finals in Antigua (November 22). The final will be played in Antigua on November 24. 

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Where can I watch?

In great news for cricket fans in Australia, Fox Cricket will be broadcasting every game live and the matches involving Australia will be shown on free-to-air television via the Nine Network.

In addition to the broadcast coverage, cricket.com.au will keep you up to speed with all the live scores, latest news and highlights from the tournament. 

In terms of social media, we've also got you covered: follow @southernstars on Twitter for regular updates and highlights, like the Australian Women’s Cricket Team page on Facebook, follow @southernstars on Instagram for the very best images and for exclusive behind-the-scenes access via Instagram stories.

What’s the format and who’s involved? 

The 10 teams are split into two groups of five, with each team playing the other sides in their half of the draw. Australia are placed in Group B alongside New Zealand, India, Pakistan and Ireland, while Group A is made up of England, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The top two teams from each group progress to the semi-finals.

Who are the favourites?

Australia are the No.1 ranked T20I team and come into the tournament in red-hot form, having complete 20-over series sweeps against New Zealand and Pakistan in the last month. After a disappointing couple of years in the shortest format of the game, captain Meg Lanning’s team has clicked this year and they justifiably carry in the favourites tag. But claiming their first piece of ICC silverware since 2014 will be no easy feat for Australia with the tournament shaping up to be the most fiercely contested yet. First, they’ll need to contend with second-ranked New Zealand and fifth-ranked India in their own group – the White Ferns may have lost 3-0 to Australia recently but they have a star-studded squad packed with experience and have been one of the better T20 outfits in world cricket in recent years. India have a captain and vice-captain in red-hot form in Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana and, as they proved when they knocked Australia out of the 50-over World Cup last year, they are capable of anything. On the other side of the draw, England will be confident of adding a 20-over crown to the ODI World Cup they claimed last year with captain Heather Knight leading a strong group into the tournament, while West Indies’ big-hitting stars will be determined to shine on their home stage and make it back-to-back titles. And finally, South Africa cannot be discounted – they boast two of the game’s best in Dane van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp and will be driven by the heartbreak of their narrow semi-final defeat in last year’s World Cup.

Who are the players to keep an eye on?

Australia spearhead Megan Schutt is the world’s top-ranked T20I bowler and the South Australian has been in the form of her life across the last 12 months. She sets the tone for the Australian bowling attack, while with the bat, Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney both sit in the top four in the ICC charts, while opener Alyssa Healy is currently in career-best form.

West Indies captain and the world’s top-ranked allrounder Stafanie Taylor will be crucial to the hosts’ hopes, and she’ll be backed up by powerful allrounder Deandra Dottin and up-and-comer Hayley Matthews, who enjoyed a breakthrough international series against South Africa last month.

England are led by captain Heather Knight who is a threat with the bat and with her off-spin, backed up by pace star Katherine Brunt, exciting allrounder Natalie Sciver and opener Tammy Beaumont who looks in ominous form.

Among the Kiwis, former captain Suzie Bates is the world’s top-ranked T20 batter at present and she’ll be looking to make a serious impact with the bat after relinquishing the leadership to Amy Satterthwaite last month. Big-hitting allrounder Sophie Devine is another to watch, while 17-year-old leg-spinner Amelia Kerr could make a major impact on the low and slow wickets of Guyana. 

India captain and vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Smiriti Mandhana are in red-hot form and their performances could make-or-break their team’s campaign, while the same can be said for South Africa stars Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk.

What are the squads?

AUSTRALIA

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen (subject to fitness), Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Fixtures: 9 November v Pakistan, 11 November v Ireland, 13 November v New Zealand, 17 November v India

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh squad: Salma Khatun (c), Rumana Ahmed, Jahanara Alam, Fargana Haque, Khadija Tul Kubra, Fahima Khatun, Ayesha Rahman, Shamima Sultana, Nahida Akter, Panna Ghosh, Ritu Moni, Sanjida Islam, Nigar Sultana, Lata Mondol, Sharmin Akter Supta

Fixtures: 9 November v West Indies, 12 November v England, 14 November v Sri Lanka, 18 November v South Africa

ENGLAND

England squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Kirstie Gordon, Jenny Gunn, Dani Hazell, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver, Linsey Smith, Anya Shrubsole, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt

Fixtures: 10 November v Sri Lanka, 12 November v Bangladesh, 16 November v South Africa, 18 November v West Indies

INDIA

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Mithali Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Tanya Bhatia, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Anuja Patil, Ekta Bisht, Hemlata, Mansi Joshi, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy

Fixtures: 9 November v New Zealand, 11 November v Pakistan, 15 November v Ireland, 17 November v Australia

IRELAND

Ireland squad: Laura Delany (c), Kim Garth, Cecelia Joyce, Isobel Joyce, Shauna Kavanagh, Amy Kenealy, Gaby Lewis, Lara Maritz, Ciara Metcalfe, Lucy O’Reilly, Celeste Raack, Eimear Richardson, Clare Shillington, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron

Fixtures: 11 November v Australia, 13 November v Pakistan, 15 November v India, 17 November v New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand squad: Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Sophie Devine, Kate Ebrahim, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe Amy Satterthwaite (c), Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin

Fixtures: 9 November v November, 13 November v Australia, 15 November v Pakistan, 17 November v Ireland

PAKISTAN

Pakistan squad: Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Javeria Khan (c), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nahida Khan, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof, Sidra Nawaz

Fixtures: 9 November v Australia, 11 November v India, 13 November v Ireland, 15 November v New Zealand

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka squad: Chamari Attapattu (c), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari, Eshani Lokusooriya, Dilani Manodara, Yashoda Mendis, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodani, Inoshi Priyadarshani, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Shashikala Siriwardena, Rebeka Vandort, Sripali Weearakkody

Fixtures: 10 November v England, 12 November v South Africa, 14 November v Bangladesh, 16 November v West Indies

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa squad: Dané van Niekerk (c), Trisha Chetty, Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Masabata Klaas, Lizelle Lee, Suné Luus, Zintle Mali, Robyn Searle, Tumi Sekhukhune, Saarah Smith, Chloe Tryon, Laura Wolvaardt

Fixtures: 12 November v Sri Lanka, 14 November v West Indies, 16 November v England, 18 November v Bangladesh

WEST INDIES

West Indies squad: Stafanie Taylor (c), Merissa Aguilleira, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Natasha Mclean, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman

Fixtures: 9 November v Bangladesh, 14 November v South Africa, 16 November v Sri Lanka, 18 v November v England

2018 ICC Women's World T20  

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

November 9: Australia v Pakistan, Province Stadium, Guyana

November 11: Australia v Ireland, Province Stadium

November 13: Australia v New Zealand, Province Stadium

November 17: Australia v India, Province Stadium

November 22: Semi-finals, Sir Vivian Richards Ground, Antigua

November 24: Final, Sir Vivian Richards Ground