The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced on Tuesday that cricket has become the first sport to confirm its full line-up for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Sri Lanka completed the line-up of eight teams, which included Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa, after winning the Women’s T20 Commonwealth Games Qualifier 2022 in Kuala Lumpur last week.
The Games will feature a league-plus-knockout format, with Australia and India, the finals of the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, slated to face off in the opening match on July 29. The medal matches are set to take place on August 7th.
In the league stage, the tournament will be split into two groups. Group A also includes Barbados and Pakistan, in addition to Australia and India. In Group B, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka will compete for dominance.
Cricket will only be included at the Commonwealth Games for the second time. The last occasion was in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, when the men’s teams competed for gold, with Shaun Pollock’s South Africa defeating Steve Waugh’s Australia by four wickets in the final.
“It’s good to have finalised the identity of the teams participating in the Commonwealth Games, and congratulations to Sri Lanka for making it after playing so well in the qualifier,” said Geoff Allardice, the ICC Chief Executive. “We will have eight of the best teams competing for the gold and I am sure we will get to watch a highly competitive tournament.
“The Commonwealth Games are an important part of the women’s cricket calendar over the next year. It is a huge opportunity for us to take cricket beyond the traditional strongholds and give more people around the world the chance to enjoy the game, whilst the players are very much looking forward to being part of a multi-sport games.”
Dame Louise Martin, the head of the Commonwealth Games Federation, singled out Sri Lanka for their achievement.
“Congratulations to the eight outstanding teams who have qualified for the women’s T20 cricket tournament at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games,” she said.
“I must pay particular tribute to Sri Lanka, who secured the eighth and final spot by winning such an exciting qualifying tournament in Malaysia last week. They will head to the iconic Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham with an elite lineup featuring England, Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Barbados and New Zealand.”
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