Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2021 postponed due to Covid-19
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ICC decided to postponed the 2021 Women’s World Cup Qualifier and the 2022 Europe Division 2 Under-19 World Cup Qualifier, pointed out in a media statement on Tuesday that “consultation with Members and with the related government and public health authorities” had helped them make the decision.
From July 3rd to July 19th, Sri Lanka was scheduled to organize the women’s qualifier, the ten-team games from which three would have progressed into next year’s main event in New Zealand. While the Under-19 event was scheduled to begin from 24 July to 30 July with the European Regional Qualifier in Denmark.
Chris Tetley, ICC event head said the body will collaborate with the participating members to determine the dates for both tournaments in the future. He pointed out in the statement, “These are both significant tournaments, the Women’s CWC Qualifier is step away from New Zealand 2021, while the European qualifier marks the start of the U-19 Cricket World Cup in 2022.” According to him, “We will work with the members to find a suitable window for rescheduling these tournaments as fast as it is safe and practical to restart.”
Head coach for Ireland Women Ed Joyce, mentioned that special training would be required to be the lockdown tournament-ready after Covid-19 . Ed Joyce pointed out, “Before the Covid-19 began, we had a lead-in plan in place for the Qualifier but-like anyone else-we had to adjust quickly to the circumstances of lockdown,” he added, “We have continued workout activities and organized several video-conferencing team learning sessions during the past two months, but there is no replacement for going out and playing given the opportunities provided by these sessions.
He explained in the media statement, “Because of the postponements, the events schedule ahead will definitely be busy for all cricket nations, and we will need to come out a plan in the run-up to the tournament, so we hope the ICC will be able to provide detailed notice of the new dates.”
At the same time, the ICC still keeps track of the two remaining Under-19 World Cup Regionall Qualifier Division 2 tournaments: the Africa event is scheduled to be held from 7 July to 14 August in Tanzania, and the Asia event in Thailand from 1 December to 9 December. Division 1 events are expected to take place in all five regions in 2021.
