photo taken from @cricketworldcup on instagram
Closing off a summer of intense cricket, India and Sri Lanka host the World Cup with India hosting their fourth and Sri Lanka having their first opportunity.
This is the last time where the tournament will have eight teams with Australia the current defending champions after winning their seventh in 2022.
How the teams qualified:
After being the host nation, India automatically qualified with the other 7 teams coming through via championships and qualifiers.
Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka came through via the ICC Women’s Championship which was held between 2022 and 2025. Both Bangladesh and Pakistan came through via the Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers which was held in April this year.
How the tournament works:
The group stages will commence on 30th September up until 26th October, with a match everyday to feast your eyes into and watch. Each team will face their oppositions once throughout the competition.
The top four teams in the group stage will automatically go through to the semi-final stages. These will be held on 29th and 30th October before the final being on 2nd November.
Teams:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.
England: Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge.
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Melie Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu.
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, Tazmin Brits, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunarathne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kaveesha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Imesha Dulani, Dewmi Vihanga, Piumi Wathsala, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Dasanayaka, Udeshika Prabodani, Malki Madara, Achini Kulasooriya.
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter, Fargana Hoque, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Islam Trisna, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Nishita Akter Nishi, Sumaiya Akter
Pakistan: Fatima Sana (c), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vc), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah.
Players to Watch:
Some players to watch would be Kiwi’ Melie Kerr, England’s Lauren Bell, and India’s Captain Harmanpreet Kaur with many fans already knowing what they are capable of after they played in this year’s The Hundred competition.
Allrounder Melie Kerr is a star in the making at just 24, carving out her name among legends in the sport. She is the youngest cricketer (male or female) to score a double century in ODI and holds the highest individual score in women’s ODI.
Lauren Bell had a standout summer with Southern Brave and became the highest wicket-taker with 19 and looks to take her superb summer across to the tournament.
Harmanpreet Kaur will captain the hosts and is the only Indian Women’s cricketer with more than 3,000 runs in International T20. The All Rounder was with Trent Rockets this summer and looks to bring her see and hit ball approach across to the International side.
