Excitement is building as the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday unveiled the fixture schedule for the ninth ICC Women's T20 World Cup, which will take place in Bangladesh from October 03 to 20, 2024, reports UNB.
With 23 matches featuring the top 10 women's teams, the tournament promises to be a thrilling spectacle for cricket fans worldwide.
The opening match will see 2023 runners-up South Africa face England, setting the stage for 18 days of competitive cricket. Host nation Bangladesh will begin their campaign against Qualifier 2 on the opening day in Dhaka, aiming for a strong start in front of their home crowd.
Prior to the main event, Bangladesh will participate in two warm-up matches in Savar, facing New Zealand on September 28th and India on September 30th.
Ten teams will compete in the tournament, divided into two groups.
Group A comprises Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Qualifier 1, while Group B features Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies, and Qualifier 2.
Defending champions Australia start their journey against Qualifier 01 on October 04 in Sylhet, while the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan is scheduled for October 06, also in Sylhet.
The tournament will be held across two venues: the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka and the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, culminating in the final at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city on October 20.
"We are thrilled to announce the fixture schedule for the ninth ICC Women's T20 World Cup," said ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice.
He highlighted the potential of the tournament to transform women's cricket in Bangladesh and inspire a new generation of fans globally.
Nizamuddin Chaudhary, CEO of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), expressed his pride in hosting the event.
"Bringing an ICC World Cup back to Bangladesh is truly exciting... The Women's T20 World Cup presents a glorious opportunity to elevate women's cricket in Bangladesh and beyond," Nizamuddin said.
Both Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed their excitement and determination for the upcoming tournament, urging fans to come out and support their teams.
"I'm thrilled at the prospect of competing in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year," Harmanpreet said.
"The growth of women's cricket over the past few years and especially Women's World Cups have been incredible. I am sure this event will be no different with competitive and high energy cricket to entertain the world," she added.
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