Women’s T20 World Cup begins today

The 10th edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup gets underway on Friday (June 12) in England, marking the start of a global cricket showcase running alongside a packed international sporting calendar.

The tournament opener will feature hosts England against Sri Lanka at Birmingham, with the match scheduled to begin at 11:30am (Bangladesh time).

While global attention is divided across multiple sporting events, the women’s T20 World Cup carries its own significance as teams compete for one of cricket’s most prestigious titles.

Bangladesh will begin their campaign on June 14 against the Netherlands, with captain Nigar Sultana Joty leading the side into the competition after an encouraging build-up that included a win over the Dutch team in a tri-series in Scotland.

However, Bangladesh’s preparations in England have been mixed, with defeats against Ireland by 11 runs and New Zealand by 68 runs in warm-up matches. Despite the setbacks, team management remains optimistic about their prospects in the tournament.

Chief selector Sajjad Ahmed Shipon said the team used the practice matches to assess combinations and adapt to English conditions.

“There is a difference between Scotland and England conditions. The English pitches are generally better for batting. The practice matches were important for adjustment and team selection,” he said, adding that Bangladesh have had limited but valuable practice time in Birmingham ahead of their opening game.

Bangladesh have set their sights on key victories against the Netherlands and Pakistan, while also aiming for competitive performances against higher-ranked sides such as India and South Africa.

In the group stage, Bangladesh will face Australia on June 17, India on June 25, and South Africa on June 28 in their final group match.

Group A includes Bangladesh, Australia, India, Pakistan, Netherlands and South Africa, while Group B comprises England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Sri Lanka and West Indies.