2026 Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier
 | |
| Dates | 18 January – 1 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Administrator | International Cricket Council |
| Cricket format | Twenty20 International |
| Tournament format(s) | Group round-robin, Super 6 stage |
| Host |  Nepal |
| Champions |  Bangladesh (4th title) |
| Participants | 10 |
| Matches | 29 |
| Most runs |  Gaby Lewis (276) |
| Most wickets |  Tara Norris (15) |
| Official website | International Cricket Council |
The 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier was an international cricket tournament that was played in January and February 2026 in Nepal.[1][2][3][4] It was the seventh edition of the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier and served as the final qualification tournament, with the top four teams earning qualification for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup.[5]
The tournament featured ten teams and was played in a Twenty20 format. Matches were hosted across two venues in Nepal, the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur and the Mulpani International Cricket Ground in Mulpani.[6] The selection of Nepal as host reflected the ICC’s efforts to expand the global footprint of women’s cricket and provide greater exposure to emerging cricket nations.[7]
Teams qualified for the global qualifier through regional pathways across Asia, Africa, Europe, Americas, and East Asia-Pacific, with the competition representing the final step toward qualification for the expanded 16-team Women’s T20 World Cup.[8]
The tournament featured a group stage and Super Six stage, with the top four teams qualifying for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup.[9] The format provided multiple matches for participating teams and supported the ICC’s efforts to strengthen pathways in women’s cricket, while hosting the event was expected to boost the development of the game in Nepal.[3][1]
Qualification
| Means of qualifications | Date | Host | Berths | Qualified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic Qualifications | ||||
| 2024 Women's T20 World Cup | 3–20 October 2024 |  United Arab Emirates
|
2
|
Bangladesh
|
 Scotland
| ||||
| Regional Qualifications | ||||
| Americas Qualifier[10] | 10–17 March 2025 |  Argentina
|
1
|
United States
|
| Asia Qualifier | 9–20 May 2025 |  Thailand
|
2
|
Nepal
|
| Thailand
| ||||
| Europe Qualifier[11] | 20–27 August 2025 |  Netherlands
|
2
|
Ireland
|
| Netherlands
| ||||
| Africa Qualifier | 31 August – 6 September 2025 |  Namibia
|
2
|
Namibia
|
 Zimbabwe
| ||||
| EAP Qualifier | 9–15 September 2025 |  Fiji
|
1
|
 Papua New Guinea
|
| Total | 10 | |||
Venues
| Venues in Nepal | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur |
Cricket Venues in Kathmandu |
Kageshwari-Manohara, Mulpani |
| Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground
|
Mulpani International Cricket Ground (Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground)
| |
| Capacity: 14,000 | Capacity: 5,000 | |
| Matches: 16 | Matches: 13 | |
Squads
The following squads were announced for the tournament.[12]
Warm-up matches
Ahead of the tournament, each of the ten participating sides played two official warm-up games against other teams in the tournament. Cricket Association of Nepal also organised a Preparation Series teams involving Nepal, Scotland and the United States before the official warm-up matches.
Warm-up matches
v
|
||
- Netherlands won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Namibia won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
Darcey Carter 57 (42)
Maahi Madhavan 1/23 (3 overs) |
Chetna Pagydyala 41 (38)
Olivia Bell 1/4 (1 over) |
- United States won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Ireland won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Papua New Guinea won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Namibia won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Bindu Rawal 27 (28)
Taranum Chopra 3/23 (4 overs) |
Chetna Pagydyala 56* (46)
Suman Bista 1/23 (3.1 overs) |
- United States won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
Juairiya Ferdous 31 (29)
Suleeporn Laomi 2/32 (4 overs) |
- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
Group stage
The fixtures were released by International Cricket Council on 7 January 2026.[23][24]
Group A
Points table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangladesh
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1.750 | Advanced to the Super 6 |
| 2 | Ireland
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1.165 | |
| 3 | United States
|
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −0.209 | |
| 4 | Papua New Guinea
|
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | −1.025 | Eliminated |
| 5 | Namibia
|
4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | −1.669 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo[25]
Fixtures
v
|
||
Sharmin Akhter 63 (39)
Maahi Madhavan 3/23 (4 overs) |
Chetna Pagydyala 36 (31)
Nahida Akter 4/24 (4 overs) |
- United States won the toss and elected to field.
- Juairiya Ferdous (Ban) made her T20I debut.
- This was the first women's T20I to be played at this venue.
v
|
||
Shorna Akter 37 (14)
Dika Lohia 1/25 (3 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- United States won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Namibia won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Namibia won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
- Amy Hunter (Ire) played in her 100th international match.[26]
v
|
||
Konio Oala 41 (40)
Lekha Shetty 3/27 (4 overs) |
Gargi Bhogle 35 (39)
Dika Lohia 2/7 (2 overs) |
- Papua New Guinea won the toss and elected to bat.
Group B
Points table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.600 | Advanced to the Super 6 |
| 2 | Scotland
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2.045 | |
| 3 | Thailand
|
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −0.424 | |
| 4 | Nepal (H)
|
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | −1.151 | Eliminated |
| 5 | Zimbabwe
|
4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | −0.942 |
Fixtures
v
|
||
- Thailand won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field.
- Christabel Chatonzwa (Zim) took her first five-wicket haul in T20Is.[27]
v
|
||
- Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Netherlands won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Netherlands won the toss and elected to bat.
- Rubina Chhetry (Nep) completed 1000 runs in her T20I career.[28]
v
|
||
- Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Scotland won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Nepal won the toss and elected to field.
- Sita Rana Magar (Nep) completed 1000 runs in her T20I career.[29]
v
|
||
- Nepal won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Thailand won the toss and elected to field.
Super 6 stage
Results between qualified teams were carried forward from the group stage. Each team therefore played only three matches against the qualified teams from the other group.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangladesh
|
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1.886 | Qualified for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup |
| 2 | Ireland
|
5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1.280 | |
| 3 | Scotland
|
5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0.292 | |
| 4 | Netherlands
|
5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −0.836 | |
| 5 | United States
|
5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | −0.772 | Eliminated |
| 6 | Thailand
|
5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | −1.883 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo[25]
Fixtures
v
|
||
- Ireland won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- Thailand won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- United States won the toss and elected to bat.
- No further play was possible due to rain.
v
|
||
- Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat.
- Pippa Sproul (Sco) made her T20I debut.
v
|
||
- Netherlands won the toss and elected to field.
v
|
||
- United States won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Ireland won the toss and elected to bat.
- Thanrada Seesawan (Tha) made her T20I debut.
v
|
||
- Netherlands won the toss and elected to bat.
v
|
||
- Scotland won the toss and elected to bat.
Final standings
| Position | Team |
|---|---|
| 1st | Bangladesh
|
| 2nd | Ireland
|
| 3rd | Scotland
|
| 4th | Netherlands
|
| 5th | United States
|
| 6th | Thailand
|
| 7th | Papua New Guinea
|
| 8th | Nepal
|
| 9th | Zimbabwe
|
| 10th | Namibia
|
Qualified for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup.
References
- ^ a b "Host for ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier revealed". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "Nepal to host ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier". Sportstar. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Nepal to host 2026 Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "Nepal to host 2026 T20 World Cup global qualifier". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "Women's T20 World Cup will expand to 16 teams". BBC Sport. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "Nepal prepares venues for ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2026". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "Host for ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier revealed". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "ICC confirm Women's T20 World Cup expansion to 16 teams in 2030". International Cricket Council. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "Schedule Announced for Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier 2026". Female Cricket. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "Cricket Argentina to host 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier in March 2025". Czarsportz. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
- ^ "Cricket Italy and Netherlands Cricket to host Europe Qualifier's for 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup". Czarsportz. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ "All the squads for ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2026". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh announce Women's T20WC 2026 Qualifier squad". ICC. 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ "Ireland Women's squad named for T20 World Cup Qualifier next month". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
- ^ "Namibia name squad for ICC Women's T20WC Global Qualifier". ICC. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "Nepal name squad for Women's T20 World Cup Global qualifiers". ICC. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
- ^ "Dutch Women's Cricket Squad Announced for ICC Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Nepal". Royal Dutch Cricket Association. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ^ "Lewas reveal tour plans". The National. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Scotland women's squad named for T20 World Cup Qualifier". Cricket Scotland. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
- ^ "THAILAND WOMEN (ICC WOMEN'S T-20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER)". CricClubs. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ "UNITED STATES AMERICA WOMEN (ICC WOMEN'S T-20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER)". CricClubs. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ "ZIMBABWE WOMEN (ICC WOMEN'S T-20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER)". CricClubs. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
- ^ "ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier fixtures revealed". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ "Fixtures for ICC Women's T20 WC 2026 Global Qualifiers revealed". ANI News. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ a b c "Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2026 - Points Table". Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ "Congrats @amy.hunter3 - 100 caps for Ireland 🌟". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 2 February 2026 – via Instagram.
- ^ "Christabel Chatonzwa Fifer in Vain as Netherlands Women Outclass Zimbabwe for a Winning Start". Female Cricket. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ runs - Rubina". Cricket Association of Nepal. Retrieved 2 February 2026 – via Instagram.
- ^ "A fire milestone for Sita Rana Magar 🔥 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ T20I runs and counting". Cricket Association of Nepal. Retrieved 2 February 2026 – via Instagram.