The first standalone women’s International Cricket Council T20 World Cup is set to showcase the female format in Australia like never before.
Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne and Minister for Sport, Senator Richard Colbeck have welcomed athletes ahead of the spectacle that will see the stars of the game make their mark on the world stage.
With Australia’s women’s cricket team ranked number one in the world, Senator Payne said there had never been a better time for Australia to host the World Cup.
“The Government is committed to raising the profile of women’s sport and increasing participation by girls and women,” Minister Payne said.
“This provides an excellent opportunity to further improve community attitudes towards gender equality in sport.”
Minister Colbeck said hosting the T20 World Cup will further strengthen Australia’s sporting reputation and will inspire the next generation of Australian sporting stars.
“The Morrison Government’s $7.7 million investment in the women’s and men’s T20 tournaments provided much needed support for player safety and security and promotion,” Minister Colbeck said.
“The last two years have seen significant progress for women’s cricket with improved pay and conditions and record crowds at matches.”
Captained by Meg Lanning, Australia’s first match will be in Sydney against the formidable Indian team tonight.
The competition continues until March 8 with organisers eager to set a new world record at a women’s sporting event by luring more than 90,000 fans to the MCG final.
The T20 men’s competition will be played in Australia from October 18 to November 15, 2020.
Minister Colbeck said as part of Australia’s national sport plan, Sport 2030, the Government has committed to strengthening Australia’s sporting industry, including through the delivery of events such as the ICC T20 World Cup 2020.
