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The ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 provides eight teams with the opportunity to advance to one of global cricket’s most exciting events, the ICC World Twenty20 2014.
Three places in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 will be determined here in Ireland, with the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier to be held in Dublin between 23 and 31 July. The top three teams will join Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, and the host, Bangladesh, in a ten-team tournament that willagain be played alongside the men’s event.

In this qualifying event, the teams are split into two groups as per their global rankings. Sri Lanka and Pakistan qualified for the tournament by virtue of finishing seventh and eighth in the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012. Ireland and Netherlands (both Europe), Thailand (Asia), Canada (Americas), Japan (East Asia-Pacific) and Zimbabwe (Africa) qualified through regional tournaments.

The final two days of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 will be streamed live at www.icc-cricket.com, and viewers will be able to watch the final, the 3rd v 4th play-off and the semi-finals free of charge. This is the first time that women’s qualification matches will be broadcast by the ICC to a global audience, marking another important step in the growth of women’s cricket globally.

Group A

Pakistan

Despite a memorable one-run victory over India at the group stage of the ICC Women’s World T20 2012, Pakistan missed out on direct qualification for the next tournament when it lost a tight play-off match to South Africa off the penultimate delivery. India got revenge for that loss in Sri Lanka with victories over
Pakistan at the group and final stages of the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2012 in China last October. Pakistan otherwise accounted for Thailand and Hong Kong in group matches before defeating Bangladesh by six wickets in the semi-final. Sana Mir (4-13), Bismah Maroof (2-14) and Mariam Hasan (2-8) reduced India to 81 from its 20 overs but the batting let Pakistan down, slumping to 63 all out in response.

Pakistan endured a disappointing ICC Women’s World Cup in February, losing to India in the play-off for seventh spot, before undergoing a further rigorous examination on a tour of England in June and early July – a visit that culminated in a thrilling one run victory for the tourists in the second T20I, the first win for Pakistan Women over England in any format.

Netherlands

Netherlands claimed the second of the qualifying places from last August’s ICC Europe Women’s T20 Qualifier thanks to a seven-run victory over Scotland. In a tournament unfavourably affected by rain, the final game between Netherlands and Scotland decided who joined winner Ireland in the upcoming tournament. Miranda Veringmeier struck a crucial 50 as the Dutch reached 115-6. Laura Browers was the pick of the Netherlands bowlers in the response – taking 2-5 from her four overs – as Scotland could only manage 108-9.

Netherlands is competing in Division Three of the ECB Women’s County Championship in 2013, having finished eighth out of nine in Division Two and then losing a play-off match to Ireland in 2012. The Dutch made a bright start to the 50-over Championship season this year, winning the opening four matches thanks to some impressive individual performances with bat and ball. Netherlands also takes part in the ECB Women’s T20 Championship.

Thailand

Thailand qualified for this tournament by virtue of winning the ACC Women’s Championship 2013, which it hosted in January. After winning four out of five group matches, Thailand stunned previously unbeaten Nepal by dismissing the side for just 38 in the semi-final to set up a seven-wicket victory. Thailand then gained revenge for losing to China in the group stage by defeating it by 17 runs in the final. Thailand found the going tougher in the ACC Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup 2012, held in China last October. In a tough group, Thailand lost to Pakistan and India before gaining a consolation victory against Hong Kong.

Thailand served notice of its burgeoning presence by reaching the final of the ACC U-19 Women’s Championship 2012 in Kuwait in February 2012, losing to Nepal in the decider. Several of the players who took part in the junior tournament have since graduated to the full side and will be hoping to make their mark in Ireland.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe earned its place in this tournament after finishing second to South Africa, who had already qualified for the ICC Women’s World T20 2014, in the ICC Africa Women’s World T20 Qualifier. Zimbabwe went unbeaten in the event, winning four matches and seeing its game against South Africa abandoned. Victories followed against Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Namibia, with Zimbabwe’s bowlers to the fore – restricting its vanquished opponents to a top score of 75 in the four successive wins.

Four run outs proved key in the first win against Tanzania when Zimbabwe defended a small total of 80 by five runs. Zimbabwe’s highest score of the tournament came against Uganda, when it made 102-8. Uganda never threatened to chase down the target, slumping to 69 all out with Precious Marange taking four wickets. Kenya was then dispatched by 25 runs as another tight bowling and fielding display meant Zimbabwe was able to limit its opponent to just 70-8. Finally, in a match reduced to 15-overs-per-side, Namibia managed only 43-7 with Hazvinei Saili taking 2-5 in three overs.

Group B

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka enjoyed an eventful ICC Women’s World T20 2012 on home soil, claiming a memorable victory but then slumping to a comprehensive defeat against India in the play-off to decide which side would qualify automatically for the next ICC Women’s World T20. In a match reduced in overs due to rain, Sri Lanka managed to restrict West Indies to 42-8, in pursuit of 48 in eight overs, in their Group B encounter. Chamani Seneviratna finished with 2-4 – including a maiden – from her two overs while Inoka Ranaweera also claimed two victims. Disappointing batting displays hampered Sri Lanka’s progress in the tournament, however, as it was bowled out for 79 by South Africa and 89 by New Zealand in its other group matches. Sri Lanka reached the semi-final of the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2012 but was knocked out by India by virtue of an inferior group record after the game was washed out.

West Indies gained revenge for defeat in the ICC Women’s World T20 2012 with victories in ODI (2-1) and T20I (4-1) series in Sri Lanka in February and March 2013.

Ireland

Ireland has placed its faith in youth for the tournament, selecting 13-year-old Lucy O’Reilly and 15-year-old Elena Tice – the latter of whom made her senior debut at 13 – in its 14-member squad. Alongside the five teenagers at coach Jeremy Bray’s disposal is the experience of the likes of skipper Isobel Joyce and Clare Shillington.

Ireland played a home tri-nation T20 series last summer against Pakistan and Bangladesh, losing both matches but gaining invaluable experience ahead of the upcoming tournament. Defeat to Bangladesh came off the penultimate ball in a closely-fought match at Clontarf. Ireland also finished bottom in a 50-over home tri-nation series against the same opposition earlier in August but it did finish top of the ICC Europe Women’s T20 Qualifier in the same month. Victories against Netherlands and Scotland, combined with two no results, earned first place ahead of the former. Several of Ireland’s squad warmed up for the latest qualifier with a trip to La Manga as part of the Development side.

Canada

Canada qualified for this tournament after winning the ICC Americas T20 Women’s Championship, held in the Cayman Islands in April 2012. After recording victories over Brazil, Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Argentina, Canada won the event on net-run-rate after the final against USA was rained off. Durriya Shabbir, the leading runscorer in the tournament, ensured a good start to the event with 63 as Canada smashed 181-3 in a 126-run victory over Brazil. Lorraine Kenton starred with the ball in Canada’s second victory, taking 3-8 in her four overs during another emphatic win, this time against Bermuda. Shabbir (48) and Joanna White (99 not out) put on 127 for the third-wicket as Canada posted 191-4 in the 106-run win over Cayman Islands. Then, in a match reduced to five-overs-per-side, Canada’s bowlers came to the fore to restrict Argentina to 24-6 in pursuit of 36. Kamna Mirchandani claimed 2-6 from her solitary over. Canada also holds the ICC Americas 50-over Women’s Championship.

Japan

Japan prepared for the ICC Women’s WT20 Qualifier with a tour of the UK in April, having won the ICC EAP Championship in May 2012 and then reached the final of the SCA International Women’s Challenge in Singapore two months later. Japan acquitted itself well in
Singapore, including a victory over the host with a record first-wicket stand of 108 between Miho Kanno (65) and Ayako Nakayama (39). Japan progressed to the final but lost to Thailand by four wickets in a match reduced to 15 overs per side. Despite the final defeat there was individual success for Kurumi Ohta, (Bowler of the Tournament) and all-rounder Ayako Nakayama (Player of the Tournament). Shizuka Miyaji captained the side in Singapore, having taken over from long-standing Ema Kuribayashi, who announced her retirement after overseeing the defence of the ICC EAP Championship in May 2012 in Vanuatu. Japan won all its five matches in the EAP event, with Kuribayashi edging out team-mate Mariko Yamamoto for Player of the Tournament.

Ireland’s first match in the tournament is tomorrow v Japan at The Hills at 10am. The Women then play Canada at 10am on Thursday the 25th at Merrion before rounding out their group at the same venue against Sri Lanka at 2pm on Saturday the 27th of July.

Admission is free for ALL games.

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