ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 shifts from Bangladesh to UAE

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 has been moved out of Bangladesh. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be the ninth edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup. On Tuesday (August 20), the ICC officially announced the tournament venue change from Bangladesh to the UAE.

The ICC has taken the venue change decision after observing the present situation in Bangladesh. The country has been going through anti-government agitations since last July. It already resulted in Sheikh Hasina’s resignation from the Prime Minister role and fleeing to India. Since then, an interim government has been formed, but the country is still going through tension, including violence. 

The UAE will host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 from October 3 and 20, 2024. The tournament will run in two UAE cities, Dubai and Sharjah. The UAE previously hosted the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 along with Oman. 

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Bangladesh will retain hosting rights

The ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice has opened up about his grief over taking out the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup tournament from Bangladesh. 

Allardice stated, “It is a shame not to be hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have staged a memorable event.”

However, the ICC Chief Executive also added that Bangladesh will retain hosting rights for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Allardice’s statement added, “I would like to thank the team at the BCB for exploring all avenues to try and enable the event to be hosted in Bangladesh, but travel advisories from the governments of a number of the participating teams meant that wasn’t feasible. However, they will retain hosting rights. We look forward to taking an ICC global event to Bangladesh in the near future.”

In the statement, the ICC Chief Executive added that Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe also offered to host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. 

Allardice claimed, “I’d also like to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for stepping in to host on behalf of the BCB and Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for their generous offers of support, and we look forward to seeing ICC global events in both of those countries in 2026.”

Ten teams will participate in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. While Bangladesh will retain the hosting rights, there is no chance for the UAE to participate in this upcoming tournament. On the other hand, the six-time Women’s T20 World Cup champions Australia will be the defending champions, having won the last three tournaments.

ICC chairperson will step down in November 2024

Meanwhile, the ICC chairperson Greg Barclay will step down from his role after his tenure ends in November 2024. Since November 2020, he has been holding the Independent ICC Chair role. In 2022, he was unopposedly re-elected.                        

The new ICC Chair’s term will begin on December 1, 2024. The deadline for the nomination submission by the present directors for the next ICC Chair is August 27, 2024. In the case of more than two candidates, there will be an election.