The 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is live in England and Wales, running through to the final at Lord’s on July 5. Four teams have separated themselves from the pack across the opening weeks. Here is how the contenders look through the lens of the betting market.
England: the home advantage pick
Hosting a Women’s cricket World Cup has never gone badly for England. They have won every edition staged on home soil, and early signs suggest this tournament will be no different.
Unbeaten through their opening four group matches, the hosts have barely been tested. Their opening fixture saw them post 219/1 against Sri Lanka, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge becoming the first centurion of the tournament. They have since brushed aside Ireland and Scotland without drama.
Lauren Bell gives England a bowling spearhead who is tailor-made for English conditions. With the semi-finals at The Oval and the final at Lord’s, the deeper this tournament goes, the more comfortable England will feel.
At 9/2, they carry the most compelling case for value among the leading contenders. Most of the best cricket betting sites don’t back them, but you cannot rule them out on home turf.
Australia: the favourites doing what favourites do
No side has dominated this format like Australia. Six titles. A squad loaded across every department. And through four group games, they have given no indication that the seventh is beyond them.
Their victories over South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Pakistan have been comprehensive across the board, culminating in a 113-run win over Pakistan. Ellyse Perry produced an all-round masterclass in that match, and she is far from the only match-winner in this squad. Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield give their batting lineup a depth few nations can match.
They can reach the semi-finals even if they lose their final group game against India. That tells you everything about where they stand.
India: the talent is there, but so is the pressure
India sit second in the betting market, and the quality in their squad justifies that. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur form one of the most experienced opening partnerships in the women’s game, and captain Kaur recently made her 200th T20I appearance during the tournament.
The problem is their position in the group. A six-wicket defeat to South Africa has left them on four points, level with South Africa and Bangladesh, with two games remaining. They must beat Bangladesh on June 25 and will likely need a win over Australia on June 28 to guarantee their place in the semi-finals.
Winning the ODI World Cup on home soil last year showed this team can handle pressure. Whether they can produce that level again under these circumstances is the question bettors need to answer.
West Indies: the side nobody wants to draw
Three wins from three in Group 2. No close calls. West Indies have been clinical, and the odds have not yet caught up.
Hayley Matthews has been unplayable at the top of the innings, combining with the experience of Stafanie Taylor in the middle order to give the Windies a balance that other sides in this tournament lack. They are into the semi-finals in all but name.
For bettors looking beyond the top of the market, West Indies offer genuine interest at their current price.
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