Cricket is set to return in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, to be hosted by Birmingham, United Kingdom. It’s the first time since 1998 that cricket will be a part of the Commonwealth Games, albeit only as a women’s sport.
When cricket was last included during the Kuala Lumpur games in 1998, it was a men’s event, and South Africa clinched the gold medal, beating Australia in the final.
While the games in Kuala Lumpur were played in the 50-over format, Birmingham will see eight teams participating in the T20 format. The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games will run between 27th July 2022 to 7th August, and all the matches will be played at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground, the home of Warwickshire Cricket Club (WCC).
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement the sport’s return to the Games was “a truly historic moment for women’s cricket and the global cricket community”.
“Cricket’s inclusion in an event with such a large global reach aligns perfectly with our plan to enable more women and girls to be inspired to get involved in cricket,” England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Tom Harrison said.
The next edition of the Women’s ICC Cricket World Cup will take place in New Zealand in 2021 and the White Ferns’ skipper Amy Satterthwaite described the inclusion of the sport in the Birmingham programme as “a huge boost”.
“Having the opportunity to play against countries we currently don’t usually compete with will be unique and only a good thing for the growth of the game,” Satterthwaite said.
