Cricket is set to return to the Commonwealth Games after a 24-year absence after International Cricket Council (ICC) and Commonwealth Games Federation confirmed the inclusion of women’s T20 cricket to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Women’s T20 Cricket is one of the three games recently added alongside Beach Volleyball and Para Table Tennis. The last time it was last included during the Kuala Lumpur games in 1998, it was a men’s event and South Africa clinched the gold medal, beating Australia in the final.

Eight teams will compete in the shortest format of the game, which will take place at Edgbaston.boosting the total number of medal events for women at Birmingham 2022 to 135 – two more than men in a first for a major multi-sport event. The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games will run between 27th July 2022 to 7th August and Edgbaston Cricket Ground will host all the matches.

he International Cricket Council (ICC) welcomed the inclusion and hoped that it would play a role in strengthening women’s cricket. ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said that cricketers who will take part in the competition will be part of a memorable experience.

‘This is a truly historic moment for women’s cricket and for the global cricket community, who were united in their support of this bid,’ said Manu Sawhney, Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council. ‘Women’s cricket continues to go from strength to strength, and we are delighted and honoured the Commonwealth Games Associations voted to include Women’s T20 cricket at Birmingham 2022,’ he added.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also welcomed the move of including Women’s Cricket in the Commonwealth Games. They also thanked the organisers for helping in the development of women cricket.