Vinay Kumar
ICC Chairman Jay Shah has wished all 12 competing teams success ahead of the start of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, describing the upcoming event as the biggest edition in the tournament’s history.In a message shared on X before the opening match on June 12, Shah emphasised the scale of the competition, which will be staged across England and Wales and feature 12 teams for the first time.“Wishing all 12 teams the very best for the biggest ICC Women’s @T20WorldCup ever! With iconic venues across England and Wales set to experience record-breaking attendance and the widest-ever global broadcast for a women’s event, we’re set for an unforgettable tournament which brings together millions of fans and the best athletes in the world,” Shah posted.The 2026 tournament marks the 10th edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup and is being viewed as another major milestone in the growth of women’s cricket. It will also be the first time England has hosted the event since staging the inaugural edition in 2009.A total of 33 matches will be played across seven venues, with organisers expecting record attendances and unprecedented global viewership throughout the competition.England enter the tournament hoping to recreate the success they enjoyed on home soil in 2009 when they lifted the first Women’s T20 World Cup under Charlotte Edwards, who now serves as the team’s head coach. The hosts will also draw confidence from their memorable ODI World Cup triumph at home in 2017.Meanwhile, defending champions New Zealand arrive as title holders after securing their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup crown in the UAE in 2024. The White Ferns became only the fourth nation to win the trophy since the competition was introduced.Australia remain the most successful side in the tournament’s history, having won six titles. England, New Zealand and the West Indies have each lifted the trophy once.For the first time, 12 teams will compete in the event. England qualified automatically as hosts, while Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the West Indies earned direct qualification through the ICC rankings pathway. Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands secured their places through the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier.One of the major storylines heading into the tournament is the debut of the Netherlands, whose first appearance on the Women’s T20 World Cup stage reflects the growing footprint of women’s cricket across Europe.The teams have been split into two groups. Group A consists of Australia, Bangladesh, India, Netherlands, Pakistan and South Africa. Group B features England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Sri Lanka and West Indies.Each nation will play five group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.Matches will be staged at some of the most iconic venues in English cricket, including Old Trafford, Headingley, Edgbaston, County Ground Bristol, Utilita Bowl, The Oval and Lord’s.Preparations are already underway, with warm-up fixtures having begun on June 6 in Derby, Loughborough and Cardiff.The knockout stage will see the semi-finals played at The Oval on June 30 and July 2, before the tournament concludes with the final at Lord’s on July 5.
