Can Harmanpreet Kaur & Co. stop the Australian juggernaut and end India’s wait for a world title in women’s cricket?: Bigger and better is the mantra for women’s cricket as the T20 World Cup gets underway on Thursday.
The International Cricket Council is hopeful of another stellar outing for the globe’s top female cricketers following the success of the 2023 edition in South Africa and building on the momentum provided by India’s triumph in the men’s tournament this summer.
A major stumbling block was overcome after host Bangladesh suffered political turmoil and domestic instability just months before the tournament’s start. It was then moved to the United Arab Emirates with the 23 games to be played across Sharjah and Dubai.
The final is on Oct. 20.Bangladesh, which retains hosting rights, kicks off the 10-team tournament Thursday against debutant Scotland in Sharjah. Pakistan will play Sri Lanka in the evening game at the same venue.
Defending champion and firm favourite Australia is in group A along with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Group B comprises South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh and Scotland. Australia will be gunning for a fourth straight title, falling short in 2016 when West Indies beat them in the final at Kolkata.
“T20 World Cups are really hard to win — it’s the best against the best and whoever can be most consistent or win those little moments along the way can get the job done,” Australia’s Alyssa Healy said in her captain’s column ahead of the World Cup. “Conditions are a little unknown for us — only a few of o u r s q u a d have played in the UAE before, while most of our players were involved with The Hundred prior.”
Australia, which has twice won three in a row, will be wary of India’s threat. Semifinalists in 2023, where they lost to Australia in Cape Town, the “Women in Blue” have improved thanks in large part to the Women’s Premier League. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, 12 of this Indian side have played the tournament before. And three new stars in the making — Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana and S Sajana — are eager for a first taste at the big stage. “I can say this is the best team we are going for a T20 World cup”
India has never won a women’s T20 World Cup. It came close in 2020, finishing runner-up to Australia, and lost in the semifinals in 2018 and 2023. For Kaur, this will be a 10th consecutive tournament since 2009 and she will be keen to replicate Rohit Sharma’s triumph with the Indian men’s side earlier in the summer. India starts its campaign on Friday against New Zealand and then will face Pakistan on Sunday — both games in Dubai. It plays Australia on Oct. 13.
Group A will open with a replay of the Asia Cup semifinal, where Sri Lanka beat Pakistan. Meanwhile, England will be firm favorites to advance from Group B. It has been a bare run for the inaugural champion, and under Heather Knight again, the 2009 winners will be keen to get past the semifinals at a minimum. However, the big question remains if anyone can stop Australia.
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