The tournament featured eight teams, representing regional hubs across England and Wales. The tournament was a successor to the Women's Cricket Super League, which ended in 2019. Whilst a regional T20 tournament was planned for 2020, it was cancelled in favour of the 50-overRachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in the shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament then ran alongside the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and The Hundred.[2][3]
In 2021, with a return to a full schedule, it was announced in February that the new Twenty20 competition would be called the Women's Regional T20, to run alongside the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and to be competed for by the same teams. Two days before the tournament began, it was renamed the Charlotte Edwards Cup, with the first edition of the tournament getting underway on 26 June, eventually being won by South East Stars.[1][5][6] The second edition of the tournament was won by Southern Vipers, who beat Central Sparks in the final.[7] Vipers retained their title in 2023, beating The Blaze in the final by 7 wickets.[8] The Blaze won the title the following year, defeating South East Stars in the final after topping the group stage.[9] This was the last edition of the competition as the ECB announced it would be replaced by a new T20 Blast as part of a restructuring of women's domestic cricket in England and Wales.[10]
In 2021 and 2022, teams played each other home and away in their group. The two group winners and the best second-place team advanced to Finals Day. The best group winner advanced straight to the final, whilst the other two teams played off in a semi-final.[5] In 2023, teams played in one group of eight, playing each other team in the group once, with the top team in the group advancing directly to the final, whilst the second and third-placed teams play off in the semi-final.[11] The tournament expanded again ahead of the 2024 season, with teams playing ten group stage matches and four teams qualifying for Finals Day, with two semi-finals and a final.[12]
Teams receive 4 points for a win. A bonus point is given where the winning team's run rate is 1.25 or greater times that of the opposition. In case of a tie in the standings, the following tiebreakers are applied in order: highest net run rate, team that scored the most points in matches involving the tied parties, better bowling strike rate, drawing of lots.[13]