The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Wednesday, confirmed that Women’s cricket will be a part of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 for the first time in history. The ICC and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), on November 18, announced the qualification process of the 8 teams in the event that will take place in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8 in 2022. The qualification process is as such that the top 6 teams, ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings as of 1 April 2021, and host team England will automatically qualify for the Commonwealth games. The remaining spot, the 8th spot, will be earned by the winner of a Qualifier, based on an undecided format, which will be played within the 31 January 2022 – the deadline in place. “Birmingham 2022 will be a fantastic showcase for the women’s game and the unveiling of the qualification criteria today is an exciting and important milestone as we head towards what will be a spectacular competition at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium.” While this will be the first appearance of Women’s cricket in the Commonwealth games, it will be the 2nd appearance of the sport after a men’s competition was part of the multi-sport event in Kuala Lumpur in the year 1998. Moreover, a Caribbean nation and not necessarily the ICC-affiliated West Indies will take part in the Commonwealth games. If the West Indies end up in the top 6 teams, there will be a separate qualifying competition that will decide which Caribbean nation goes ahead and represents them in Birmingham.
