Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Reserve Days Added for Semi-Finals and Final, India to Open Campaign in Dubai
The Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is set to kick off with defending champions Australia making their debut in the UAE on October 5. They will face the current Asia Cup champions, Sri Lanka, in their opening match. India, on the other hand, will begin their campaign a day earlier, taking on New Zealand in Dubai.
This 10-team tournament has seen significant changes, including its relocation from Bangladesh to the UAE due to recent political unrest in Bangladesh, which led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government. Despite the change in venue, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will remain the official tournament host.
Apart from India and Australia, England and West Indies will also be playing their first T20 Internationals (T20Is) on UAE soil during this tournament. The group stages will be evenly split between Dubai and Sharjah, with Australia playing three of their four group matches in Sharjah, while India will play three of their games in Dubai.
One of the most anticipated matches is the India vs Pakistan game, scheduled for the afternoon of October 6 in Dubai. The tournament will also feature a heavyweight clash between South Africa, the finalists of 2022, and England on October 7 in Sharjah. Another marquee event is the India vs Australia match on October 13 in Sharjah, a rematch of the 2022 semi-final.
The semi-finals and final have been allotted reserve days, a step not taken in the men’s T20 World Cup held in June, where the semi-final involving India had no such provision. The first semi-final, which could feature India if they qualify, will be held in Dubai on October 17, while the second semi-final will take place in Sharjah on October 18. The final is scheduled for October 20 in Dubai.
Scotland and Sri Lanka, who recently competed in the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers 2024, will also be part of this tournament. Both teams performed well during the qualifiers in the UAE, with Sri Lanka winning all six of their games and Scotland winning four out of six. However, those matches were played at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi, and Dubai will be hosting its first-ever women’s T20I during this tournament.
All teams will have the opportunity to acclimatize with two warm-up fixtures each, scheduled between September 28 and October 3. The tournament format will see each team playing four group matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals. Group A consists of Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while Group B includes South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Scotland.
The afternoon matches will start at 2 PM local time, while the evening games, including the semi-finals and final, will begin at 6 PM. This tournament promises to be an exciting event as teams vie for the coveted Women’s T20 World Cup title.
