Australia’s all-conquering women’s team will have to win six games in just 17 days to secure a fourth-straight T20 World Cup title after the schedule for the tournament in Bangladesh was confirmed.
New captain Alyssa Healy will take her troops back to Bangladesh in October having walloped the home side in a recent white-ball series convincingly, winning three ODIs and three T20s in Dhaka, where the finals of the World Cup will be played.
It proved the perfect sighter for Healy and her outfit that is seeking to secure an unprecedented fourth-straight World Cup and maintain hold of all available trophies.
The campaign will open against either Scotland or Sri Lanka, who are fighting for a qualifying spot, on October 4, before a run of three more pool matches across the next nine days at Sylhet before shifting to Dhaka for the finals, should they progress.
The six-time T20 World Cup champions will face India, New Zealand and Pakistan in the other pool games.
Despite playing their pool games away from the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka where Australia had their first experience of the conditions they’ll face in Bangladesh, Healy was confident after that series win the exposure would be crucial to their chances.
“Everyone in the squad is taking something home that they can work on for when we come back here in September, so it’s been hugely worthwhile for us,” Healy said following the series.
“The results went our way but from a big picture perspective, and what we’re building towards in September, October, I think we got everything we possibly could out of this series.”
ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said this year’s World Cup had the “potential to transform women’s cricket in Bangladesh”.
“We have seen the impact and success of each of the women’s World Cups over the last few years, building significant momentum for women’s sport,” he said.
“As a strategic priority, we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on and off the field in South Asia and across the world.”
Australia will also play two warm-up matches, both in Dhaka, before the tournament begins.
T20 WORLD CUP SPRINT FOR AUSTRALIA
Pool games
October 4: v Qualifier 1, Sylhet International Stadium
October 8: v Pakistan, Sylhet International Stadium
October 11: v New Zealand, Sylhet International Stadium
October 13: v India, Sylhet International Stadium
Finals
October 17: Semi-final 1, Sylhet International Stadium,
October 18: Semi-final 2, Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka,
October 20: Final, Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka,