On Wednesday, International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier’s schedule. Moreover, ICC also announced a Women’s Global Development Squad which will play five games against some ECB Women’s Cricket Super League teams after the WWT20 Qualifier.
The 2018 ICC Women’s World T20 will be held in West Indies from 2 to 25 November 2018. While 10 teams will participate in that tournament, 8 top teams have already qualified and these teams are Windies (host), Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Two more teams will qualify for this tournament from the upcoming 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier.
The 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier will be played in the Netherlands from 3 to 14 July. Including the hosts Netherlands, total 8 teams will participate in this tournament. The other seven teams are Bangladesh, Ireland, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, Uganda, Thailand and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
These eight teams have been divided equally into the two groups and the two groups are at the following:
After the completion of Group stages, two top placed teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. Both semi-finals winners will qualify for the final of this tournament as well as 2018 WWT20 competition.
ICC Women’s Cricket Manager Holly Colvin said on the Qualifier tournament, “The exciting nature of T20Is and the competitive qualification format will give participating teams the experience of performing under pressure. New conditions and different oppositions provide great exposure for participating teams, and with the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 not far away, the finalists can carry momentum with them.”
Every participating team is excited to play the Qualifier and qualify for the 2018 WWT20.
Meanwhile, a Women’s Global Development Squad has been announced which will play five games from 15-21 July against the three different ECB Super League teams. Among the 13 development squad members – three players from Bangladesh, two players each from Ireland, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and Uganda and one player each from Scotland and UAE.
About that initiative, Clare Connor, Director England Women’s Cricket and Chair of ICC Women’s Committee, quoted, “Since the launch of our competition in 2016, we have been considering how we might use it as a platform to provide other playing opportunities for players around the world.
“We’re hopeful that a Global Development Team – playing five games against some of our Super League teams immediately after the ICC World T20 Qualifiers – can offer those players representing the Associate Members those opportunities. We are looking forward to welcoming a diverse playing squad, representing countries as far-reaching as Uganda, Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh, as well as several of our European neighbours.”
The Women’s Global Development Squad:
13-member Players: Jahanara Alam, Khadiza-Tul Kubra and Rumana Ahmed (From Bangladesh)
Gaby Lewis and Lucy O’Reilly (From Ireland)
Sterre Kalis and Heather Siegers (From Netherlands)
Kaia Arua and Ravini Oa (From PNG)
Gertrude Candiru and Immaculate Nakisuyi (From Uganda)
Sarah Bryce (From Scotland)
Esha Oza (From UAE)
Head coach: Sean Trouw
Mentor Coach: Mark Lane
