Women’s cricket commenced in Hong Kong in 2001, and the inaugural Women’s League emerged in the 2004-05 season, featuring teams from Hong Kong Cricket Club, Kowloon Cricket Club, and Lamma Cricket Club. The league expanded to five teams in the 2005-06 season and further to six teams in 2006-07. In 2024, the league evolved significantly, boasting nine teams competing across two distinct formats: The Women’s T20 League and The Women’s T10 Cup. Additionally, a Women’s Development League has been established, comprising eight teams engaging in 8-a-side games. Notably, around 50% of the women actively participating in today’s competitions are of Chinese descent, with a significant portion of players below the age of 25.
In international women’s cricket, Hong Kong, a Chinese special administrative region, is represented by the Hong Kong women’s national cricket team. Twenty20 matches played between the Hong Kong women’s team and other ICC members after July 1, 2018, are considered full Women’s Twenty20 Internationals in accordance with the ICC’s April 2018 decision to award full WT20I status to its members. During the Thailand women’s T20 Smash in Bangkok on January 12, 2019, Hong Kong played its first WT20I match against Indonesia.
Historical Highlights-
In September 2006, the team made its international debut, playing a three-match ODI series against Pakistan to decide who would represent Asia in the 2007 Women’s Cricket World Cup qualifier in Ireland. Hong Kong showed early promise on the world stage, even in the face of severe losses. In subsequent years, they achieved success in regional competitions, securing victory in the ACC Women’s T20 Championship Trophy in 2009 and successfully defending their title in 2011 with a narrow win over China.
During the 2012 Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup, Hong Kong was grouped in Group A alongside Pakistan, India, and Thailand, where they finished at the bottom of the standings. Their involvement in significant events like the 2010, 2014, and 2022 Asian Games offered invaluable experience, despite encountering hurdles. They achieved 7th place in 2010, and 5th in both 2014 and 2022.
Emerging runners-up in 2015 and 2019, in 2017 and 2022, Hong Kong emerged triumphant in the 2017 and 2022 Women’s Twenty20 East Asia Cup, with Yasmin Daswani earning the Player of the Tournament accolade in 2017 and Mariko Hill earning the accolade in 2022, highlighting their prowess in regional tournaments. Further Hong Kong was named in the regional group for the 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, joining seven other teams in the qualification for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. They had a good campaign advancing to the knockouts, but faced a heavy defeat to eventual champions United Arab Emirates in the semifinal.
| Kary Chan |
| Mariko Hill |
| Natasha Miles |
| Shanzeen Shahzad |
| Marina Lamplough |
| Yasmin Daswani |
| Maryam Bibi |
| Hiu Ying Cheung |
| Iqra Sahar |
| Betty Chan |
| Alison Siu |
| Elysa Hubbard |
| Emma Lai |
