Clare Connor, ECB’s Director of England women’s cricket, has welcomed the decision to play the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in Australia in 2020 as a stand-alone event, rather than combining it with the men’s tournament as had originally been planned.
“This decision is another strong indication of the growing strength and global appeal of the women’s game,” said Connor, Chair of the ICC Women’s Committee which unanimously supported a proposal from Cricket Australia in Cape Town last week, before it was ratified by the ICC Board.
Each of the five previous ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournaments have run alongside the men’s competition, starting in 2009 when England won the inaugural final by beating New Zealand in the first match of a double header at Lord’s. It had already been decided to stage a women’s only tournament in the West Indies in 2018. Now the same will be the case by splitting the men’s and women’s events in Australia in 2020: the women’s competition will take place in February/March 2020 ahead of the men’s tournament in October/November 2020.
“During our discussions in Cape Town last week we took inspiration from the remarkable success of the recent FIFA Women's Football World Cup in Vancouver and the recent inaugural Women's Big Bash League in Australia in 2015/16,” added Connor.
“With more than three years still to go before our tournament, we believe that the momentum will continue, and demand for high-quality women's sport will continue to grow. I am certain that giving the women's event a singular focus from a marketing perspective and creating the space to stage stand-alone women's matches at the best possible time for families will yield amazing results. The inaugural Women's Big Bash League in Australia surpassed all expectations and has proved that there is a rapidly growing audience for women’s cricket, both live and on prime-time television.
“We have a stand-alone global event in England next summer when ECB will stage the ICC Women’s World Cup for the first time since 1993, following on from the men’s ICC Champions Trophy. These are really exciting times for the England women’s team and everyone involved in women’s cricket.”
Women’s global events
June/July 2017 – ICC World Cup (England)
2018 – ICC Women’s World Twenty20 (West Indies)
February/March 2020 – ICC Women’s World Twenty20 (Australia)
2021 – ICC World Cup (New Zealand)