Cricket West Indies brief potential Women's T20 hosts on expectations

Cricket West Indies have hosted a venue summit with the boards of each territory interested in hosting matches during next year’s Women’s World T20 Championship.

The sixth edition of the tournament, organised by the International Cricket Council, is due to begin in November 2018. It will be the second time the West Indies have been hosts after they took the role in 2010.

Tournament director Jennifer Nero, along with the team from CWI, used the opportunity to brief the participants from all six regions, on the expectations for the event.

“The hosting of this event, comes at an important time in the socio-economic development of the region,” Nero said.

“Therefore, it is CWI’s vision to bring the unique Caribbean flamboyance by successfully hosting the first ever stand-alone Women’s World T20 championship.”

She added that “as defending World T20 Champions, CWI aims to use this championship for the advancement of our cricketing landscape, the advancement of women in sport, attract business and other partners, while maintaining the positive global momentum around women’s cricket.”

The Women’s World T20 championship will be managed by a project team from CWI, as well as a regional committee and the various local organising committees of the chosen venues.

The event will be used by CWI to achieve a number of objectives over the next five years and beyond, said Nero.

These include growing female participation in cricket, promoting gender equality in the sport and “to establish cricket as a genuine career option for young women.”

Dave Richardson, chief executive of the International Cricket Council, said: “The West Indies is a unique place to play cricket and we are confident that the players will receive a warm welcome, excellent playing conditions and facilities that allow players to shine.”

The two-day summit was held November 21 and 22 in Antigua at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.