The 2018 Women's World Twenty20 was the sixth edition of the ICC Women's World Twenty20, hosted in the West Indies from 9 to 24 November 2018.[3][4] It the second World Twenty20 hosted by the West Indies (after the 2010 edition), and the West Indies were the defending champions.[5]
The tournament was awarded to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) at the 2013 annual conference of the International Cricket Council (ICC).[6] The tournament's dates were confirmed at an ICC board meeting in January 2015.[7] In February 2017, the ICC confirmed that this would be the first T20 tournament that uses the Decision Review System, with one review per side.[8]
The qualifier tournament for the competition was held in July 2018 in the Netherlands.[9] Both Bangladesh and Ireland won their respective semi-final matches in the qualifier, to advance to the Women's World Twenty20 tournament.[10][11]
The first match scheduled to be played in Saint Lucia, between England and Sri Lanka, was abandoned due to rain.[12] With further rain forecast in Saint Lucia, the ICC looked at a contingency plan of moving other group games to Antigua.[13] The following day, the ICC confirmed that the Group A matches would remain in Saint Lucia.[14] The ICC cited logistical issues and cost as the main factors for not moving the fixtures.[15]
Australia in Group B qualified for the semi-finals, with their win against New Zealand, to give them three wins from three matches.[16]India, also in Group B, qualified for the semi-finals, after they beat Ireland by 52 runs, with three wins from three matches.[17] In Group A, tournament hosts the West Indies, along with England, progressed to the semi-finals, after wins in their penultimate group-stage fixtures.[18] In the first semi-final, the West Indies faced Australia,[19] with England and India playing each other in the second semi-final.[20] Australia beat the West Indies by 71 runs[21] and England beat India by 8 wickets to progress to the final.[22]
Australia won their fourth title after beating England in the final by 8 wickets.[23]Meg Lanning, captain of the Australian team said that the victory was "the most satisfying win I've been involved in" adding that "there will be some big celebrations".[24] England's captain, Heather Knight, said that the team did not post a competitive total, but was "proud of the girls for reaching another world final".[25] Australia's Alyssa Healy was named the player of the tournament.[26]
Teams and qualification
Eight teams qualified automatically and they were joined by two teams from the qualifier tournament.[27][28]
On 25 October 2018, the ICC appointed the officials for the tournament. Along with the twelve umpires, Richie Richardson and Graeme Labrooy were also named as the match referees.[31]
The International Cricket Council declared a total prize money pool of US$750,000 for the tournament, an increase from the $400,000 for the 2016 event.[32] The prize money was allocated according to the performance of the team as follows:[33]
Harmanpreet Kaur became the first woman for India to score a century in WT20Is and the third for any country to score one at an ICC Women's World Twenty20.[48][49]
India's total was the highest by any team at an ICC Women's World Twenty20.[49]
Suzie Bates (NZ) became the highest scorer in ICC Women's World Twenty20s.[47]
