The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday that the Women’s T20 World Cup will be held in the UAE, following a venue shift from Bangladesh. The tournament, originally scheduled to take place in Bangladesh, will now be played across two iconic UAE venues—Dubai and Sharjah—from October 3 to 20.
The ICC Women’s #T20WorldCup 2024 has been moved from Bangladesh and will now be held in the United Arab Emirates.https://t.co/Pi3mUgvG7g
— ICC (@ICC) August 21, 2024
ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice expressed disappointment over the relocation but praised the efforts of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). “It is a shame not to be hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the BCB would have staged a memorable event,” Allardice said. He acknowledged the BCB’s efforts to accommodate the tournament but cited travel advisories from several participating teams’ governments as a decisive factor in the venue change. Despite the shift, Bangladesh will retain the hosting rights for a future ICC event.
Allardice also extended gratitude to the Emirates Cricket Board for stepping in as hosts, as well as to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for their offers of support. “We look forward to seeing ICC global events in both of those countries in 2026,” he added.
The political unrest in Bangladesh, exacerbated by the resignation and exile of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after prolonged student protests, made it impossible to host the event in the country. The UAE has a history of stepping up to host major cricket events in challenging times, including during the Covid-19 pandemic and after terror attacks in Pakistan.
In recent years, the UAE has successfully hosted prestigious tournaments such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Pakistan Super League, and the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup, which was moved from India due to the pandemic. However, this marks the first time the UAE will host a premier women’s cricket tournament.
The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup will feature ten teams divided into two groups. Group A includes defending champions Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Group B comprises Bangladesh, England, West Indies, Scotland, and South Africa. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
This will be the ninth edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup, with the inaugural tournament held in England in 2009. Australia is the most successful team in the tournament’s history, having won the title six times. England (2009) and the West Indies (2016) are the only other teams to have lifted the trophy.
