Women’s T20 World Cup 2023: When are the games on? What are England’s chances? | Cricket News

When are the games on? What are England’s chances? Which players should you look out for? All you need to know ahead of the 2022 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup…

When and where is the Women’s T20 World Cup?

The eighth edition of the tournament will be held in South Africa between February 10-26, with games to be played at Gqeberha – formerly know as Port Elizabeth – Cape Town and Paarl. Every match is live on Sky Sports and the competition gets under way on Friday with hosts South Africa up against Sri Lanka.

Which teams are involved?

Five-time champions and tournament favourites Australia join South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Bangladesh in Group A. England – champions at the inaugural edition on home soil in 2009 but trophy-less since – are in Group B alongside India, Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland.

How does the format work?

Sides play the other teams in their group once with the top two progressing to the semi-finals. The winners of Group A face the runners-up in Group B and vice versa before the winners of those games advance to the final.

Who is in England’s squad?

Heather Knight (captain), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt (Southern Vipers). Travelling reserves: Issy Wong, Danielle Gibson.

Previous winners?

The word Australia appears quite a lot…

2009 – England, beat New Zealand by six wickets
2010 – Australia, beat New Zealand by three runs
2012 – Australia, beat England by four runs
2014 – Australia, beat England by six wickets
2016 – West Indies, beat Australia by eight wickets
2018 – Australia, beat England by eight wickets
2020 – Australia, beat India by 85 runs

How England get on last time?

Eliminated in the semi-finals by the rain. It was a gutting way for England to go out having rallied from defeat to South Africa in their opening Group B game to breeze past Thailand, Pakistan and West Indies and clinch second spot in their pool.

India were their opponents in the last four but the sides were unable to take the field due to inclement weather in Sydney and with no reserve day in operation for the semi-finals, India advanced by dint of having won Group A. The semi-finals in the 2023 edition do have reserve days so hopefully there will be no repeat.

How will England fare in 2023?

There is real optimism that a 14-year wait for a second T20 title can be snapped. Since Jon Lewis took over as head coach in late 2022, England have swept West Indies 8-0 – winning three ODIs and five T20 internationals – as they try to play with the aggressive style that has transformed the men’s Test team.

With Knight back after hip surgery, and Nat Sciver-Brunt returning following a break for mental health reasons, England are at pretty much full strength, save for injured all-rounder Freya Kemp. Teenager Alice Capsey is over a broken collarbone, while 37-year-old Katherine Sciver-Brunt will be eager to impress in what will probably be her final major tournament.

Add in Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt at the top of the order, the No 1-ranked bowler in the world in left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone and emerging seamer Lauren Bell, and England have the players to contend. But, as ever, Australia remain the team to beat.

Which other players should we look out for?

Meg Lanning is back to captain Australia after taking a break from the game last year and is part of a powerful batting unit that also includes world No 1 Tahlia McGrath and world No 2 Beth Mooney.

The elegant Smriti Mandhana forms a formidable opening duo with Shafali Verma for India, with the latter looking to add the senior T20 World Cup title to the U19 version she captained her country to in late January.

Ireland may need Gaby Lewis to display the sort of form she showed in 2022 while hitting four half-centuries and helping the team to a maiden series victory overseas, against Pakistan in November.

Lewis’ side face a tough ask to get out of a group including England and India but a former Ireland player, Kim Garth, will have designs on winning the title with the all-rounder now representing Australia.

Hosts South Africa – having left out captain Dane van Niekerk on fitness grounds – will look to Laura Wolvaardt for runs and then Nonkululeko Mlaba and Shabnim Ismail for wickets, while spinners Alana King of Australia and India’s Deepti Sharma could prove a nightmare for opposition batters.

When is the final?

The title match will take place on Sunday February 26, from 1pm in Cape Town. It would be a surprise if Australia were not in it, having contested all but one of the seven T20 World Cup finals so far.

Women’s T20 World Cup – full fixture list (all times UK and Ireland)

Group stage

February 10 – South Africa vs Sri Lanka, Cape Town (5pm)

February 11 – West Indies vs England, Paarl (1pm)

February 11 – Australia vs New Zealand, Paarl (5pm)

February 12 – India vs Pakistan, Cape Town (1pm)

February 12 – Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Cape Town (5pm)

February 13 – Ireland vs England, Paarl (11am)

February 13 – South Africa vs New Zealand, Paarl (5pm)

February 14 – Australia vs Bangladesh, Gqeberha (5pm)

February 15 – West Indies vs India, Cape Town (1pm)

February 15 – Pakistan vs Ireland, Cape Town (5pm)

February 16 – Sri Lanka vs Australia, Gqeberha (1pm)

February 17 – New Zealand vs Bangladesh, Cape Town (1pm)

February 17 – West Indies vs Ireland, Cape Town (5pm)

February 18 – England vs India, Gqeberha (1pm)

February 18 – South Africa vs Australia, Gqeberha (5pm)

February 19 – Pakistan vs West Indies, Paarl (1pm)

February 19 – New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, Paarl (5pm)

February 20 – Ireland vs India, Gqeberha (1pm)

February 21 – England vs Pakistan, Cape Town (1pm)

February 21 – South Africa vs Bangladesh, Cape Town (5pm)

Knockout stage

February 23 – First semi-final, Cape Town (1pm)

February 24 – Second semi-final, Cape Town (1pm)

February 26 – Final, Cape Town (1pm)

Both semi-finals and the final have reserve days