Bangladesh Women’s cricket team has progressed to the 2022 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand for the first time after the nine-team qualifying tournament in Harare was called off.
The International Cricket Council announced the postponement of the tournament today due to the introduction of travel restrictions from a number of African countries, including the hosts country Zimbabwe, following the breakout of a new COVID-19 variant in southern Africa.
Pakistan and West Indies are the other two teams to progress to the World Cup along with Bangladesh. Bangladesh beat Pakistan by three-wicket and crushed the USA by 270 runs before experiencing a shocking 16-run defeat to Thailand by DLS method. Still Bangladesh topped Group B.
Play in two of the three matches scheduled for Saturday – Zimbabwe v Pakistan and USA v Thailand – started as scheduled but the third fixture of the day, between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, could not be staged as a member of the Sri Lanka team support staff tested positive for COVID-19.
ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley said: “We are incredibly disappointed to have to cancel the remainder of this event but with travel restrictions from a number of African countries being imposed at such short notice there was a serious risk that teams would be unable to return home.
