IT IS the eve of yet another World Cup, with the Women’s T20 tournament set to kick off tomorrow, Australian time.

It was originally supposed to be happening in Bangladesh, but due to security concerns has been transferred to first-time hose, UAE.

In a case of history repeating once again, Australia comes into this tournament as the favourite. The reigning champions from last year’s tournament, it is very rare that Australia gets beaten its format, so will be the team to beat yet again.

However, the big change from last year’s tournament to this one is that the Australians do not have Meg Lanning at their disposal. In saying that, with the likes of Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney and Grace Harris in the squad, there is plenty of hitting power and experience to compensate for Lanning’s absence.

The team the Australians beat in last year’s decider South Africa will be looking to build on that ground breaking tournament and go one better this time around.

Without the pressure of being the home side, the South Africans will be looking to the likes of captain Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon to guide the side to that next step.

A few more nations that will be looking to take the next step are India, England and New Zealand.

The Indians are the true growing force in women’s cricket at the moment, but have not quite pulled off the title wins to match that status just yet. But with the big hitting abilities of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and others, expect the Indians to be among the contenders once again.

England and particularly New Zealand have dropped down the pecking order a bit in recent years, but will certainly be trying to climb back up that ladder again.

From an English perspective, Alice Capsey will really be the one to watch this tournament as a young, growing star in the game, but England still have plenty of other stars to watch including Natalie Sciver-Brunt and captain Heather Knight.

From a White Ferns perspective, they particularly will want to have a good result at this tournament to give the retiring Sophie Devine a perfect send off. They will also be looking for big performances from the likes of Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, with the latter’s sister Jess Kerr also sure to feature prominently.

The other teams that will feature in this tournament are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, but with the strength of Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa, those other sides will be up against it to feature heavily at the pointy end of the tournament.

2024 Women’s T20 World Cup Squads

Group A

Australia

Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ash Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

India

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk)*, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil*, Sajana Sajeevan. Travelling Reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor

Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra

* – subject to fitness clearance.

New Zealand

Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

Pakistan

Fatima Sana (c), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal (subject to fitness), Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan. Traveling reserve: Najiha Alvi (wk)

Non-traveling reserves: Rameen Shamim, Umm-e-Hani

Sri Lanka

Chamari Athapaththu (c), Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Madhavi, Nilakshika de Silva, Inoka Ranaweera, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Sachini Nisansala, Vishmi Gunaratne, Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana

Travelling reserve: Kaushini Nuthyangana

Group B

Bangladesh

Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorna Akter, Marufa Akter, Rabeya, Mst. Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Dilara Akter (wk), Sultana Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Fahima Khatun, Taj Nehar, Disha Biswas, Shathi Rani

England

Heather Knight (c), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

Scotland

Kathryn Bryce (c), Sarah Bryce (vc), Lorna Jack-Brown, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Abtaha Maqsood, Saskia Horley, Chloe Abel, Priyanaz Chatterji, Megan McColl, Darcey Carter, Ailsa Lister, Hannah Rainey, Rachel Slater, Katherine Fraser, Olivia Bell.

South Africa

Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Suné Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloé Tryon

Travelling Reserve: Miané Smit

West Indies

Hayley Matthews (c), Shemaine Campbelle (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Nerissa Crafton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor