Can the Indian women’s cricket team bag a medal at the upcoming CWG 2022?  

CWG 2022 will feature the maiden edition of the women’s T-20I format. The competition will include eight teams: The hosts England, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Barbados, and Sri Lanka.

The Indian women’s national cricket team is placed fourth in the international T-20 rankings and is one of the contenders to win the event’s first-ever women’s T-20 gold, led by the flamboyant Harmanpreet Kaur.

India has reached the World Twenty20 finals once, in 2020, and the semi-finals in 2009, 2010, and 2018.

The Women in Blue are in Group A, alongside Australia, Pakistan, and Barbados, and will kick-start the tournament on July 29, 2022, against Australia.

Here are the teams who might give this gutsy Indian side a run for their money in their pursuit of the coveted CWG medals,

NEW ZEALAND

The White Ferns, New Zealand’s women’s national cricket team, are currently third in the T-20I rankings with 4801 points and a rating of 267.

New Zealand, along with Australia and England, is one of only three teams to have featured in all ten editions of the Women’s Cricket World Cup. They finished second in the Women’s World Twenty20 Championship in 2009 and 2010 but have yet to win the tournament.

With powerhouses like Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates leading the charge, they stand a great chance to win the inaugural CWG cricket medals.

They are in Group B with the likes of Sri Lanka, South Africa, and England, and their campaign begins on July 30, 2022, against South Africa.

ENGLAND

The Heather Knight-led England Team became the first side to secure a place at the upcoming historic event. With 7,398 points and a rating of 285, they are ranked second in the women’s T-20I standings and are among the candidates to make it to the final and win it all.

England’s women’s cricket team won the ICC Women’s T-20 World Cup in 2009 and finished as runners-up three times in 2012, 2014, and 2018.

This current group is a robust unit to crack and breakthrough due to Heather Knight’s stern leadership and the added advantage of playing the tournament on home turf in front of their supporters.

On July 30, 2022, England will commence their competition run-out against Sri Lanka.

AUSTRALIA

The Australian women’s national cricket team, captained by the prolific Meg Lanning, is the number one team in all international rankings for the women’s game.

In ODI cricket, Australia has won more World Cups than all other nations combined, while in Twenty20 cricket, Australia has won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the years 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2020.

This group not only has past achievements to show for and a splendid captain in Meg Lanning at the helm, but it also boasts a crop of star-studded players in all departments, including vice-captain Rachael Haynes, Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Darcie Brown. They make Australia “THE FAVORITE” to win the first-ever women’s cricket gold at CWG 2022.

HOWEVER, NO GAME IS WON ON PAPER, AND MAY THE BEST TEAM WIN IT ALL!!!