The upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 is the eighth edition of the competition and the first to be held in South Africa, who are looking to lift the trophy for the first time.
The previous seven have brought no shortage of thrills and spills, from England’s triumph in 2009 to Australia’s victory in front of a sold-out Melbourne Cricket Ground three years ago.
Ahead of the action getting underway this time around, here’s a reminder of how each tournament so far has played out.
2009 – England make home advantage count
England staged the inaugural ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and celebrated by coming out on top, beating New Zealand by six wickets in the final at Lord’s after bowling the White Ferns out for just 85.
Katherine Brunt (3/6) picked up the Player of the Match award in the showpiece and Claire Taylor’s 39 spearheaded the chase, though her tournament tally of 199 was not quite enough to earn the leading run-scorer prize – New Zealand’s Aimee Watkins finishing with 200 at an average of 66.66.
2010 – Australia hold nerve in thrilling final
Australia were no strangers to tight finishes in 2010. In the group stage, they beat defending champions England on countback of sixes after a tie in both the regulation 20 overs and the super over, and another nail-biting contest was in store in the final.
New Zealand needed 14 from the last over but could not quite get there, Australia winning by three runs with Ellyse Perry claiming three for 18. Earlier in the competition, Deandra Dottin scored the first century in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history with her unbeaten 112 for hosts West Indies against South Africa.
2012 – Australia retain crown after last-over drama
History repeated itself in 2012 as Australia again triumphed in a final which went down to the wire, this time against England, who needed a six from the final ball but could only manage a single.
Australia’s two Jess’s proved pivotal, Jess Cameron scoring 45 from 34 balls before Jess Jonassen took three for 25.
The final was one of several close contests in Sri Lanka, Pakistan earlier beating India by one run in a group stage classic, while England captain Charlotte Edwards was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 172 runs.
2014 – Lanning leads Australia to three-peat
Bangladesh hosted the first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to feature 10 teams but there was no change in the nation who came out on top, Australia easing past England by six wickets in a one-sided final.
Ireland were one of the two competition debutants, alongside the hosts, but were on the receiving end of a Meg Lanning masterclass against the eventual champions. Lanning’s 126 from just 65 balls remains the highest score in the tournament’s history and helped Australia bounce back from defeat against New Zealand in their opening group game.
2016 – Matthews and Taylor shine as West Indies etch name on trophy
Hayley Matthews turned 18 during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2016 and wasted no time in announcing herself on the global stage, smashing a 45-ball 66 as the West Indies ended Australia’s dominance with an eight-wicket win in the final.
Stafanie Taylor also played an integral role for the victors in India, scoring a tournament-high 246 runs and chipping in with eight wickets. Her tally with the bat included a half-century in the final, played as the first part of a double header alongside the men’s competition – also won by the West Indies.
2018 – Gardner plants Australia back on top
Two years after their memorable triumph, West Indies played hosts but were unable to defend their crown as Australia knocked out the champions in the last four before defeating England in the final.
Ashleigh Gardner was the star of the showpiece, taking three wickets and top-scoring with 33, while there were several more impressive individual displays over the course of the competition.
Harmanpreet Kaur scored India’s first IT20 century, Alyssa Healy and Sophie Devine scored 21-ball half-centuries and Deandra Dottin claimed the best bowling figures in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history, taking five for five in West Indies’ victory against Bangladesh.
2020 – Megan Schutts door on Indian ambitions
Australia hosted their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020 and the tournament captured the imagination of the public, with 86 174 supporters packing out the MCG for a final which included India for the first time.
The hosts were convincing 85-run winners, with Megan Schutt’s four for 18 taking her tournament tally to 13 scalps after Beth Mooney had earlier compiled an unbeaten 78. The competition featured two centuries, England’s Heather Knight and South Africa’s Lizelle Lee punishing debutants Thailand, with Knight consequently becoming the first woman to reach three figures in all three formats.