Sports Desk:
Hosts Bangladesh have been pitted in Group B alongside former champions West Indies as well as South Africa, England and a qualifier, in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The groupings and fixtures of the of the event were revealed in a programme in Dhaka yesterday. Bangladesh will begin the campaign taking on the qualifier in Dhaka on October 3, the opening day of the tournament. Six-time champions Australia will commence their campaign against a qualifier, as per the fixtures. Australia won a record sixth title against hosts South Africa in Cape Town last year and have been drawn alongside 2020 runners-up India, Trans-Tasman rival New Zealand, Asian side Pakistan and a qualifier team in Group A for the ninth edition of the event that will be held in Bangladesh in October. Each side will play four group matches at the tournament, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the cut-throat semi-finals on 17 and 18 October ahead of the Final in Dhaka on 20 October. In total, there will be 23 matches played across 19 days in Dhaka and Sylhet, with reserve days in place for both semifinals and the final should they be required. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur at the fixtures launch of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday. Photo: ICC “Over the last six to seven years we have seen women’s cricket grow exponentially,” ICC chief executive officer Geoff Allardice said at the announcement of the fixture list and trophy unveiling in Dhaka.
“This is going to be a very special tournament,” he added.
Group A: Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Qualifier 1
Group B: South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Qualifier 2
Fixtures
October 3: England v South Africa, Dhaka
October 3: Bangladesh v Qualifier 2, Dhaka
October 4: Australia v Qualifier 1, Sylhet
October 4: India v New Zealand, Sylhet

October 5: South Africa v West Indies, Dhaka
October 5: Bangladesh v England, Dhaka
October 6: New Zealand v Qualifier 1, Sylhet
October 6: India v Pakistan, Sylhet
October 7: West Indies v Qualifier 2, Dhaka
October 8: Australia v Pakistan, Sylhet
October 9: Bangladesh v West Indies, Dhaka
October 9: India v Qualifier 1, Sylhet
October 10: South Africa v Qualifier 2, Dhaka
October 11: Australia v New Zealand, Sylhet
October 11: Pakistan v Qualifier 1, Sylhet
October 12: England v West Indies, Dhaka
October 12: Bangladesh v South Africa, Dhaka
October 13: Pakistan v New Zealand, Sylhet
October 13: India v Australia, Sylhet
October 14: England v Qualifier 2, Dhaka
October 17: First semi-final, Sylhet
October 18: Second semi-final, Dhaka
October 20: Final, Dhaka