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White Ferns to feature in first women's cricket tournament at Commonwealth Games

April 27, 2021

The New Zealand side is one of eight nations who will compete in the inaugural women's cricket tournament at the Games.

The White Ferns are set to have a massive year in 2022. They've been confirmed as part of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year, on top of hosting the World Cup.

It will be the first time women's cricket has been played at the Games, and just the second time it has made an appearance in any form, the first occasion being a men's ODI competition in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

The six qualifiers who join home team England in the eight-team T20 competition are Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and a country from the West Indies. The winner of a qualifying tournament held next January will determine the final team.

New Zealand vice captain Amy Satterthwaite hopes the tournament would help take the sport to a wider audience.

"The Commonwealth Games is watched by so many people all around the world and probably a different audience that always watches cricket so to represent our country and show people what we do would be pretty special," Satterthwaite said.

"A carrot like this doesn’t get dangled in front of you too often so to think that we can be a part of it and almost be a part of history is really special and I think you want to work extremely hard to put your best foot forward."

The Commonwealth Games cricket tournament will take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham, and will be part of an 11-day programme that will see 4,500 athletes from 72 nations compete at the Games.

"The debut of women's T20 cricket will be a historic moment for Commonwealth sport and a wonderful showcase for women's sport across the world," Commonwealth Games Federation president Dame Louise Martin said.

It will be the White Ferns second major tournament in four months. New Zealand is set to host the Women's World Cup in March and April, while the Commonwealth Games run from the end of July to August 8.

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