Brief History of Italy Women’s National Cricket Team
The Italy women’s national cricket team represents Italy in international women’s cricket matches. Affiliated with the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1995, transitioning from affiliate to associate member status in 1995.
Historical Highlights – Italy Women’s National Cricket Team
Under the administration of the Italian Cricket Federation (FCI), women’s cricket in Italy has seen significant development. In 2001, FCI established a domestic tournament for women, which, after several interruptions, resumed in 2009 with up to seven participating teams. The national team made its debut in 2013, hosting a five-team tournament in Bologna, where they played against Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, and Gibraltar.
A pivotal moment arrived in 2020 with the announcement of a new six-team national women’s league, commencing play in 2021. Italy marked its Twenty20 International debut against Austria in August 2021, hosting a five-match series after rigorous training camps across the country. Despite Austria winning the series 3–2, Italy showcased its growing prowess.
In 2023, Italy entered the qualifying process for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time, participating in the Europe Division Two qualifier in Jersey.
Tournament Highlights – Italy Women’s National Cricket Team
2023 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Europe Qualifier:
Italy made their maiden appearance. This tournament marked an expansion in the qualification pathway for women’s cricket in Europe, introducing a second division for the first time. Italy’s performance was commendable, winning four out of five matches. Despite finishing second in the table due to a lower Net Run Rate (NRR) than France, they qualified for Division one. In the subsequent matches against France, Netherlands, and Scotland, Italy won both games against Italy but finished third overall, falling short of proceeding to the global qualifier.