A chance to qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, with games taking place here at Derby, are up for grabs at the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, to be held in Colombo from 7-21 February.
The 14-day event will culminate with the final at the P. Sara Stadium on 21 February, but following the final round of Super Six stage matches on Sunday 19 February, there will be clarity on which four sides will progress to the ICC Women’s World Cup.
The four bottom teams from the ICC Women’s Championship – India, Pakistan South Africa and hosts Sri Lanka – are joined by Ireland and Bangladesh who qualified due to their ODI status and Zimbabwe, Thailand, Scotland and Papua New Guinea who each won their respective regional qualifiers.
ICC Women’s Committee Chair and former England captain, Clare Connor: “The ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Colombo is a competition of the utmost importance for the teams involved, and I am sure that we will see some hard fought cricket over the next few weeks with so much at stake.
“The tournament represents the culmination of a hugely exciting few years for the international women’s game.
“The introduction of the ICC Women’s Championship in 2014 has proven to be a game changer for the development of the sport, creating an ongoing narrative and transparent competition pathway for teams to embrace in their bid to qualify for the most eagerly anticipated ICC Women’s World Cup to date.
“We have a lot to look forward to this year, and the qualifying tournament in Sri Lanka this month presents the perfect springboard for cricket fans around the world to start getting excited about what’s to come.
“Ticket sales for the ICC Women’s World Cup Final at Lord’s on Sunday 23 July are already breaking records, which gives us great confidence that the competition will fulfil the aspiration that has been set for it to be the biggest, best attended and highest quality Women’s World Cup that there has ever been.”
The teams are divided in two groups of five each for the preliminary league. Fifth-ranked India, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Thailand form Group A while sixth-ranked South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Scotland and Papua New Guinea form Group B.
The top three sides from either group will advance to the Super Six stage while also carrying forward points they earn against sides which have progressed from their group.
The top four sides from the Super Six stage, in which each side will play three matches against teams from the other group, will complete the eight-team line-up for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, while the top two sides will battle out for the title in the 21 February final.
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