Commonwealth Games 2022 set to feature Women’s T20 cricket

The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham is all set to feature Women’s T20 cricket after a bid for its inclusion in the event was approved by the Commonwealth Games Federation. The final decision over its inclusion still has one more hurdle though, as it will have to be cleared by the 71 member associations. The final decision is likely to be made public by in six weeks.

The proposal to include cricket at the Commonwealth Games was put forward by the ICC in collaboration with the ECB after the conclusion of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2018. The proposal received unwavering support from the MCC World Committee.

ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney expressed his delight at the news. He said, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:

“We are absolutely delighted that women’s cricket has been nominated for inclusion in Birmingham 2022. I’d like to thank everyone at the CGF and Birmingham 2022 for the nomination and it would be a real honour to become part of the Commonwealth Games family. We are committed to accelerating the growth of the women’s game and breaking down barriers and gender stereotypes along the way. We share our ambition to deliver greater equality, fairness and opportunity in sport with the Commonwealth Games Federation. The platform of Birmingham 2022 will provide a springboard for women’s cricket and will inspire and engage young girls around the world to be part of this wonderful and inclusive sport.”

If it does get included in the Commonwealth Games, it will indeed be a major stride for cricket to become a global sport.