Women’s World Cup to start on March 4

DUBAI: The rescheduled Women’s 50-over World Cup in New Zealand will start on March 4, 2022 with the final to be held on April 3, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday.

The tournament was originally scheduled for February-March next year but was postponed due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The same six cities and venues will host the 31 matches during the tournament, with Hagley Oval in Christchurch to host the final under the lights.

New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa and India have qualified for the tournament, with three remaining teams to be confirmed through a qualifying event in Sri Lanka from June 26-July 10 next year.

Hosts New Zealand will take on a qualifying side in the opener in Tauranga while defending champions England, who won the previous event at home in 2017 by defeating India at Lord’s, are scheduled to meet Australia the following day in Hamilton.

The postponed tournament will continue to offer NZ$5.5 million ($3.89 million) in prize money, up almost 60% from the last edition.

All eight teams will play each other in a round-robin format with the top four advancing to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the ICC announced that as many as 86 teams will compete for 15 places at the mens Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.

The four-step qualifying process, involving up to 225 matches, will begin next April. There will be 11 qualifying tournaments across five regions, all of which have been rescheduled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hungary, Romania and Serbia will attempt to qualify for the first time. Japan and Finland will host qualifying events.