Agency :
Eight teams are set to battle it out for the biggest prize in women’s cricket, when the ICC Women’s World Cup gets underway on Saturday in England.
The final of the competition will be held in Lords on June 23.
As current ICC Women’s World Cup holder and six-time champion, Australia enters the competition as favourite, but faces stiff competition.
With Meg Lanning at its helm, Australia boasts the only player to have 10 Women’s One-Day International centuries, while also being part of the successful side in India, four years ago.
“We’ve got pressure on ourselves to perform well, we hold ourselves to very high standards and we want to uphold them. The pressure is on us but it’s also on a lot of the teams around the competition,” she said.
West Indies also comes into the tournament with plenty of confidence having lifted the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 just last year, as part of a hat-trick that included the ICC World Twenty20 won by the men’s team and the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup taken home by its colts.
Captain Stafanie Taylor leads the side in this competition for the first time, with history behind her after becoming the only women’s player to reach ODI and T20I world No.1.
She said: “When it comes to 50 overs, it’s all about a different mindset. You have to be patient, it’s a longer format, and you do have time.”
India and host England get the competition underway in Derby, on Saturday, the same day New Zealand and Sri Lanka face off in Bristol.
England possesses an impressive record at a home ICC Women’s World Cup, winning the competition on both the previous occasions in 1973 and 1993, as well as in Sydney in 2009 with eyes on Heather Knight and her team, bidding for a fourth crown.
“It’s going to be a brilliant tournament,” said the captain. “The support we have had from the tournament, I think it’s going to be the most visible and supported Women’s World Cup we’ve had.”
However, with India eyeing up their first victory, the challenge won’t start off in easy fashion – particularly with the experience of Mithali Raj, the world’s second highest-capped batter behind Charlotte Edwards.
“Our first target will be to reach the semi-finals, but for that you need to be able to play good cricket throughout the tournament and have good momentum,” she said.
Alongside Australia and England, New Zealand will be embarking on its 11th World Cup in 2017, keen to lift its first 50-over trophy away from home, as Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite look to reach 100 caps.
Victorious in 2000, New Zealand finished second the last time they played in the competition in England, while the experienced side also has an ace up its sleeve in 16-year-old leg-spinner Amelia Kerr.
“To win 100 caps for your country is a big achievement at any time but to do it at a World Cup would be even more special,” said Satterthwaite.
One of four teams to progress via the World Cup Qualifier, the experience in Sri Lanka’s team could prove vital – with nine players aged 31 or over.
On the other end of the spectrum, South Africa has no players in that age bracket, with the honour of captaincy falling on 24-year-old Dane van Niekerk.
She became just the seventh player to reach 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in women’s ODIs in February, becoming the first South African to reach the latter figure.
She said: “I’m a bit crazy sometimes. I can be laid back but my demeanour is to be aggressive on the field.”
South Africa lost a tense and thrilling final to India in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier final having already secured its place in England, a path from which Pakistan also qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup.
Pakistan will be led by Sana Mir, who could reach 100 ODI caps this tournament, while her haul of 104 wickets is the most by any Pakistan bowler in its history.
Eight teams are set to battle it out for the biggest prize in women’s cricket, when the ICC Women’s World Cup gets underway on Saturday in England.
The final of the competition will be held in Lords on June 23.
As current ICC Women’s World Cup holder and six-time champion, Australia enters the competition as favourite, but faces stiff competition.
With Meg Lanning at its helm, Australia boasts the only player to have 10 Women’s One-Day International centuries, while also being part of the successful side in India, four years ago.
“We’ve got pressure on ourselves to perform well, we hold ourselves to very high standards and we want to uphold them. The pressure is on us but it’s also on a lot of the teams around the competition,” she said.
West Indies also comes into the tournament with plenty of confidence having lifted the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 just last year, as part of a hat-trick that included the ICC World Twenty20 won by the men’s team and the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup taken home by its colts.
Captain Stafanie Taylor leads the side in this competition for the first time, with history behind her after becoming the only women’s player to reach ODI and T20I world No.1.
She said: “When it comes to 50 overs, it’s all about a different mindset. You have to be patient, it’s a longer format, and you do have time.”
India and host England get the competition underway in Derby, on Saturday, the same day New Zealand and Sri Lanka face off in Bristol.
England possesses an impressive record at a home ICC Women’s World Cup, winning the competition on both the previous occasions in 1973 and 1993, as well as in Sydney in 2009 with eyes on Heather Knight and her team, bidding for a fourth crown.
“It’s going to be a brilliant tournament,” said the captain. “The support we have had from the tournament, I think it’s going to be the most visible and supported Women’s World Cup we’ve had.”
However, with India eyeing up their first victory, the challenge won’t start off in easy fashion – particularly with the experience of Mithali Raj, the world’s second highest-capped batter behind Charlotte Edwards.
“Our first target will be to reach the semi-finals, but for that you need to be able to play good cricket throughout the tournament and have good momentum,” she said.
Alongside Australia and England, New Zealand will be embarking on its 11th World Cup in 2017, keen to lift its first 50-over trophy away from home, as Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite look to reach 100 caps.
Victorious in 2000, New Zealand finished second the last time they played in the competition in England, while the experienced side also has an ace up its sleeve in 16-year-old leg-spinner Amelia Kerr.
“To win 100 caps for your country is a big achievement at any time but to do it at a World Cup would be even more special,” said Satterthwaite.
One of four teams to progress via the World Cup Qualifier, the experience in Sri Lanka’s team could prove vital – with nine players aged 31 or over.
On the other end of the spectrum, South Africa has no players in that age bracket, with the honour of captaincy falling on 24-year-old Dane van Niekerk.
She became just the seventh player to reach 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in women’s ODIs in February, becoming the first South African to reach the latter figure.
She said: “I’m a bit crazy sometimes. I can be laid back but my demeanour is to be aggressive on the field.”
South Africa lost a tense and thrilling final to India in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier final having already secured its place in England, a path from which Pakistan also qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup.
Pakistan will be led by Sana Mir, who could reach 100 ODI caps this tournament, while her haul of 104 wickets is the most by any Pakistan bowler in its history.
