Thailand or PNG to qualify for a Women’s T20 World Cup for first time ever
- Bangladesh face Ireland in other semi-final for Australia 2020 spot
- Umpire appointments confirmed and fixture line-up confirmed for 5 September matches
There will be a new team competing at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for the first ever, as Thailand and Papua New Guinea face each other in Thursday’s Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier semi-finals for one of two spots up for grabs in Australia 2020.
The winner of the semi-final in Scotland will be the 11th different team to compete in a Women’s T20 World Cup since the event’s launch in 2009. If Thailand were to qualify it will be the first World Cup they have ever qualified for and for PNG the first ICC World Cup outside of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup.
Bangladesh and Ireland who both played in the 2014, 2016 and 2018 Women’s T20 World Cups will compete for the other spot. Both matches will be live streamed via the ICC’s Digital Platforms.
Thailand’s captain Sornnarin Tippoch said: “It’s what we have worked so hard for and it would be a massive step for Thailand cricket.”
Ireland’s Mary Waldron said: “Playing in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia would be something very special. Not many people get the chance to represent their country, let alone play in a World Cup. It really is the pinnacle of any sport and it would be a huge honour to qualify.”
Bangladesh captain Salma Khatun said “We hope we qualify for the Women’s T20 World Cup, it would be so important for us.”
From the 29 teams who took part in qualification only four remain with Bangladesh and Ireland qualifying directly for the Scotland qualifier by virtue of their ninth and tenth finishing positions in the ICC Women's World T20 2018. Thailand qualified by winning the ICC Women’s Qualifier Asia in February and PNG from topping the table in the EAP qualifier in May 2019.
With the semi-final line up now completed, the world-first all women umpiring panel appointments for the remainder of the event can now be confirmed.
5 September:
Bangladesh v Ireland (Forfarshire Cricket Club,10h00) Sue Redfern and Eloise Sheridan (on-field umpires), Claire Polosak (reserve umpire)
Netherlands v USA (Arbroath Sports Club, 10h00) Kim Cotton and Lauren Agenbag (on-field umpires), Jacqueline Williams (reserve umpire)
Thailand v PNG (Forfarshire Cricket Club,14h00) Eloise Sheridan and Claire Polosak (on-field umpires), Sue Redfern (reserve umpire)
Scotland v Namibia (Arbroath Sports Club,14h00) Jacqueline Williams and Kim Cotton (on-field umpires), Lauren Agenbag (reserve umpire)
6 September: Reserve Day