Scotland and Ireland to meet England in Women’s T20 World Cup group stage

London – Hosts England will begin their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on 11 June, before facing two of the tournament’s freshest qualifiers in a group that guarantees historic firsts for British soil.

Scotland and Ireland, who secured their berths through the qualifying tournament held in Nepal earlier this month, were drawn alongside England, West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Group Two. The fixtures released on Monday confirm that England will meet Scotland at Headingley on 20 June, the first time the neighbouring nations have clashed in any World Cup fixture—men’s or women’s—on home soil.

Ireland’s date with England comes four days earlier, on 16 June at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, while the Celtic rivals will open their own tournament accounts against each other at Old Trafford on 13 June.

The 12-team competition, the largest in the 17-year history of the Women’s T20 World Cup, will split the sides into two groups of six. Bangladesh and the Netherlands joined Scotland and Ireland in progressing from the qualifier, slotting into Group One with Australia, South Africa, India and Pakistan.

Group matches will be staged at Edgbaston, Old Trafford, Headingley, Southampton and Bristol, leading into semi-finals at The Oval on 30 June and 2 July. New Zealand, champions in the United Arab Emirates in 2022, will defend their title in the final at Lord’s on Sunday, 5 July, marking the first time the women’s event has returned to England since the inaugural edition in 2009.