It is going to be an enormous year for The White Ferns as they qualify for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The top 8 teams according to the ICC T20I Women’s Team Ranking have made an entry into the CWG and New Zealand, being at NO.4, have secured their spot.
This is the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games that women’s cricket has been considered as an event. And additionally, all the matches will hold T20 international status giving a boost to the game. As England is hosting the event, they’ve also made a direct entry to the tournament. Apart from New Zealand, Australia, India, West Indies, South Africa, and Pakistan will also be a part of the CWG 2022.
The ICC has confirmed the initial qualifiers for the eight-team T20 tournament, which takes place at Edgbaston as part of the Games that run from July 28-August 8 2022.
Qualifying tournament to take place in Jan next year. #CWG2022 #CommonwealthGames pic.twitter.com/g4BUlhSPSl
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 26, 2021
It is going to be a bonus year for the teams as they’ll be playing two major tournaments in the year 2022. The first one being the World Cup starting in the month of March hosted by New Zealand, and the second one being the Commonwealth Games hosted by England from July. The above teams secured their places in the list on the basis of the ICC Women’s T20I team rankings as of April 1, 2021.
Just like every sportsperson around the world, The White Ferns vice-captain Amy Satterthwaite is also hoping for the tournament to turn fortunes for the players and make the sport reach a larger audience.
“The Commonwealth Games is watched by so many people all around the world and probably a different audience that always watches cricket so to represent our country and show people what we do would be pretty special. A carrot like this doesn’t get dangled in front of you too often so to think that we can be a part of it and almost be a part of history is really special and I think you want to work extremely hard to put your best foot forward,” she was quoted saying.
Also this year, the New Zealand team will be competing against England Women in a 3-match T20I series and a 5-match ODI series starting September 1st.
The Cricket tournaments at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 are set to begin from July 29, 2022, with the final gold medal match being played on August 7, 2022, at Edgbaston.
I’m a Senior Masters student pursuing Journalism and Mass Communication. An all time Cricket enthusiast. I could never play the game but always loved watching it, and now writing about it!
