DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed it has
submitted a bid for the inclusion of T20 women’s cricket into the Commonwealth
Games in Birmingham 2022.
The bid, which has been made in partnership with the England and Wales Cricket
Board (ECB), will see one of the world’s fastest growing women’s team sports
apply to become part of the Commonwealth Games family.
Cricket has made just one appearance at the Games previously, with men playing
in 1998 in Kuala Lumpa where South Africa stood on top of the podium.
The application for inclusion of women’s cricket for Birmingham 2022 is part of the
global strategy for cricket to inspire and empower women and girls around the world
and to drive greater levels of inclusivity and opportunity throughout the sport.
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said, ?Cricket and the Commonwealth are
inextricably linked and almost perfectly aligned with 910 million of cricket’s one billion
plus adult fans from Commonwealth countries. Creating a new partnership between
women’s cricket and the Commonwealth Games demonstrates the commitment both
organisations have to growing women’s sport and delivering greater equality, fairness
and opportunity in sport across the Commonwealth.”
?Birmingham is the perfect place to launch this partnership as the city shares cricket’s
rich and diverse culture and heritage. 23 per cent of the city’s residents have links to
cricket playing nations outside the UK, the deep connection between cricket and
Birmingham will bring people together and inspire future generations of players and fans
of women’s cricket. If cricket were to be staged in these Games, we know every team
competing would be guaranteed ‘home’ support. There’s a ready-made audience and
ready-made infrastructure in the local vicinity,” he said.
?This partnership has the potential to go way beyond a sporting event that can be
enjoyed by hundreds of millions of fans in Birmingham, the UK and the rest of the
world. I believe the players who reflect the diversity of this audience will send a powerful
message to young women in Birmingham and beyond about the potential that they can
achieve through sport,” Richardson said.
?We would like cricket to lead the way in the Commonwealth in inspiring more young
girls to take up sport regardless of their background or culture. There’s a saying that ‘you
can’t be it if you can’t see it’ – imagine the impact of millions of young girls around the
world watching women’s cricket in the Commonwealth Games and being empowered
with the knowledge that they too can play cricket, represent their country and compete
on a global stage,” he added.
(AGENCIES)
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