Women's T20 Challenge: All you need to know

The Women's T20 Challenge begins on Wednesday in Sharjah; here's everything you need ahead of the four-match event

What is it?

The Women’s T20 Challenge is a four-match women’s T20 competition organised by the BCCI, featuring three teams: Supernovas, Velocity and Trailblazers. It is viewed as a forerunner ahead of any plans for a Women’s Indian Premier League.

When is it?

Like in previous years, the competition will take place during the IPL playoffs, beginning on Wednesday, November 4. Further round-robin games take place on November 5 and November 7, followed by the final on November 9.

Where is it?

As per the Indian Premier League, the Women’s T20 Challenge has been shifted from India to the UAE as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. All four matches, therefore, will take place in Sharjah.

What is the format?

The format is straightforward: three teams will play two matches each in a single group, with the top two progressing to the final.

Should two sides be level on points, net run rate will be used to determine who advances.

Supernovas face Velocity on Wednesday, before Velocity take on Trailblazers on the following day. The final group game sees Trailblazers face Supernovas, with the final on November 9. Supernovas have won the two previous editions.

Who’s taking part?

Perhaps the most intriguing name is that of Thailand batsman Natthakan Chantham, who becomes the first player from her country to take part in the tournament.

Other overseas players include Sri Lankans Chamari Atapattu and Shashikala Siriwardene, England’s Sophie Ecclestone and Danni Wyatt, and Bangladeshi pair Salma Khatun and Jahanara Alam.

New Zealand off-spinner Leigh Kasparek is also involved, as are South Africa’s Ayabonga Khaka and Sune Luus and West Indies’ Shakera Selman and Deandra Dottin.

Otherwise, the event is a festival of Indian talent: captains Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Mithali Raj are joined by – among others – Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma and Poonam Yadav.

^{Mithali Raj will captain Velocity}

Supernovas squad

Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Chamari Atapattu, Priya Punia, Anuja Patil, Radha Yadav, Taniya Bhatia, Shashikala Siriwardene, Poonam Yadav, Shakera Selman, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Ayushi Soni, Ayabonga Khaka, Muskan Malik

Trailblazers squad

Smriti Mandhana (captain), Deepti Sharma, Punam Raut, Richa Ghosh, D. Hemalatha, Nuzhat Parween, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Harleen Deol, Jhulan Goswami, Simaran Dil Bahadur, Salma Khatun, Sophie Ecclestone, Natthakan Chantham, Deandra Dottin, Kashvee Gautam

Velocity squad

Mithali Raj (captain), Veda Krishnamurthy, Shafali Verma, Sushma Verma, Ekta Bisht, Meghna Singh, Shikha Pandey, Devika Vaidya, Sushree Dibyadarshini, Manali Dakshini, Leigh Kasperek, Danni Wyatt, Suné Luus, Jahanara Alam, M. Anagha

England interest

Sophie Ecclestone told ESPNcricinfo that she turned down a Women’s Big Bash stint over concerns with bio-secure bubble fatigue, before an offer to take part in the Women’s T20 Challenge came through.

She is representing Trailblazers for a second successive year, while Danni Wyatt is making her third appearance in the tournament.

They are the only England representatives on this occasion, but in previous years Nat Sciver and Dani Hazell have both turned out Supernovas and Trailblazers, respectively.

This year’s competition clashes with the Women’s Big Bash, limiting the overseas talent available.

How can I watch it?

In the UK, all four games will be available to watch on Sky Sports. In India, it will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network.

Live streaming of the tournament will be available on Disney+ Hotstar.