The T20 World Cup is back with England hoping to end Australia’s dominance.
Since the first edition in 2009, England have reached three finals without any success, while Australia have won five of the seven toururnament, including the last two in 2018 and 2020.
India, New Zealand and hosts South Africa will hope to lift their first World Cup title, while West Indies will harbour hopes of clinching a second after beating Australia in the 2016 showpiece.
South Africa open the tournament against Sri Lanka in Cape Town on Friday, with England playing their first match on Saturday in Paarl against West Indies, before Australia take on neighbours New Zealand at the same stadium.
Sky Sports takes a look through the contenders for this year’s World Cup…
England
England came up short in the big events last year, losing to Australia in the final of the 50-over World Cup and then suffering a semi-final exit to India at the Commonwealth Games.
The new year presents new opportunities under a new coach, after Jon Lewis took over from Lisa Keightley before the West Indies tour towards the end of the year.
Sophie Eccelstone had an impressive 2022 and will be key for England in South Africa. Pic CWI Media
There is a real buzz around the young England side, with Sophie Ecclestone, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley and Lauren Bell established names in the T20 format.
Ecclestone made her debut as a 17-year-old and has gone on to to become one of the best bowlers in white-ball cricket. Handy with the bat lower down the order, she will be a key player for England this year.
With the bat, England have a mix of experience and youth and will be boosted by the inclusion of Alice Capsey, who has nailed down a spot at number three and recovered from a dislocated shoulder in time for the World Cup.
The World Cup might come a bit too soon for England’s young side, but going in as underdogs might suit them. They will expect to get past the group stages as a minimum.
Squad: Heather Knight (captain), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt
Reserves: Issy Wong and Dani Gibson
Australian won their fifth T20 World Cup in 2020
Australia
The standout favourites for the T20 World Cup once again, Australia have dominated women’s cricket in recent years.
The generational side won another World Cup last year, to add to a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and an Ashes win to cap off another successful 12 months.
Australia were unbeaten through the ODI World Cup and have shown little signs of losing their aura.
Wins throughout the year against England and India showed their continued superiority in the women’s game and with Meg Lanning back after taking an indefinite break and leg-spinner Georgia Wareham included after a lengthy injury lay off, Australia arrive in South Africa in a confident mood.
Squad: Meg Lanning (captain), Alyssa Healy, Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham
India had a mixed 2022 and fell short during the Commonwealth Games
India
The runners-up at the previous T20 World Cup, India are still searching for their maiden world title.
They are in a tough group alongside England, the West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland, with an opening match against bitter rivals Pakistan on February 12 in Cape Town.
Last year was a mixed year for India’s women. They beat Sri Lanka in the final of the Asia Cup, but lost the December home series against Australia 4-1 and were narrowly beaten by England in October’s three-match series.
India’s group match against England will have some added bite to it after the last match between the two sides ended with a controversial Mankad wicket, that led to a war of words between both camps.
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The last time England played India, the match ended in controversial fashion
Harmanpreet Kaur will lead India’s side, her third successive World Cup as captain.
Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as vice-captain, after she impressed recently at the top of the order.
India welcome back Shikha Pandey after the bowler was selected in the shortest format after more than a year, while Pooka Vastrkar is included despite fitness concerns.
Kaur’s side are among the favourites and will hope to go one better than the 2020 edition of the tournament.
Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Anjali Sarvani, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey.
Reserves: Sabbhineni Meghana, Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh.
New Zealand
New Zealand are outsiders going into the World Cup in South Africa, but head coach Ben Sawyer isn’t ruling his side out.
In November 2020, Sawyer said his team have “put together a blueprint of how we want to play” and with veteran skipper Sophie Devine leading the side once again, New Zealand will believe they can spring some surprises at the World Cup.
Devine is joined in the squad by regulars Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Maddy Green and Hayley Jensen, while experienced wicketkeeper-batter Jess McFadyen could be in line for a debut after she was included as a replacement for Izzy Gaze.
New Zealand had an impressive 2022, losing just three T20s
New Zealand beat England to the bronze medal during the Commonwealth Games but finished third from bottom in their World Cup group. They also won a T20 series against Bangladesh at home and against West Indies away.
Overall, New Zealand only lost three of their 14 T20 matches in 2022 and go into the World Cup in good form.
Squad: Sophie Devine (captain), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu.
Could West Indies and South Africa break Australia’s dominance?
The West Indies aren’t the same side that reached four semi-finals and a final at previous editions of the World Cup and were dominated by England in the recent series on home soil.
South Africa’s best finishes came in 2020 and 2014, when they reached the semi-finals but will have home advantage on their side although are without regular captain Dane van Niekerk, who failed to “meet the minimum criteria for fitness”.
Both sides are capable of springing surprises and will need to be closely watched during the tournament.
West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams.
South Africa squad: Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Lara Goodall, Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Shabnim Ismail, Tazmin Brits, Masabata Klaas, Laura Wolvaardt, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Sune Luus (captain), Anneke Bosch, Delmi Tucker.
Non-traveling reserves: Micaéla Andrews, Tebogo Macheke, Tumi Sekhukhune
Squads
Pakistan: Bismah Maroof (captain), Aiman Anwer, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Sadaf Shama, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Ameen, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper), Tuba Hassan
Reserve: Ghulam Fatima and Kainat Imtiaz
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Marufa Akter, Dilara Akter, Fahima Khatun, Salma Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Shamima Sultana, Rumana Ahmed, Lata Mondol, Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Ritu Moni, Disha Biswas, Sobhana Mostary
Reserves: Rabeya, Sanjida Akther Maghla, Fargana Hoque Pinky, Sharmin Akter Supta
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Oshadi Ranasinghe, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya, Vishmi Gunaratne, Tharika Sewwandi, Ama Kanchana, Sathya Sandeepani
Ireland: Laura Delany (captain), Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Eimear Richardson, Rachel Delaney, Mary Waldron
Watch the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports in from February 10.
