ICC announces 6 host cities in New Zealand for Women's Cricket World Cup 2021

The announcement of the venues for ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2021 was made at Auckland’s Kohimarama Beach. The announcement ceremony was followed by a game of beach cricket featuring Indian cricketer superstar Mithali Raj; newly appointed New Zealand women's captain Sophie Devine and teammates Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, and New Zealand men's team players Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls.

New Zealand's capital Wellington and five other cities will host the 31 matches of ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2021. The other cities apart from Wellington where the matches are scheduled are Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Christchurch and Dunedin.

A total of eight countries are taking part in the Women's Cricket World Cup 2021 which will have 31 matches played between February 6 and March 7, 2021. Auckland's Eden Park cricket stadium will see action in the opening weekend.

Host New Zealand have their matches at all the six venues. The two semi-finals will be hosted at Hamilton's Seddon Park and Tauranga's Bay Oval while tournament final will be a day-night affair at Christchurch's Hagley Oval stadium. 

ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup CEO Andrea Nelson said she was delighted to announce the six host cities for what promises to be a truly national event. "Our goal was to ensure all 31 matches will be played at the best venues, encompassing a geographic spread that ensured as many Kiwi sports fans as possible get to engage with the tournament. It was great to see the enthusiasm from so many cities bidding for a chance to welcome the best players in the world to their back yard. We’re absolutely thrilled with the outcome of that robust process and the cities that are now locked in," Nelson said.

The announcement of the venues was made at Auckland’s Kohimarama Beach. The announcement ceremony was followed by a game of beach cricket featuring Indian cricketer superstar Mithali Raj; newly appointed New Zealand women's captain Sophie Devine and teammates Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, and New Zealand men's team players Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls. The Women's Cricket World Cup 2000 winners Emily Drumm and Rebecca Rolls were also present.

"Playing for your country is always a special feeling and we’re all very excited to play in the beautiful country of New Zealand. Women’s cricket is slowly getting access to centre stage so it’s important that we continue to grow this interest around the world," said Mithali Raj, who recently retired from T20s but will continue to play in Ine Day Internationals.

Sophie Devine was excited about the tournament at home and "to have the opportunity to play in the World Cup on home soil back where it all began for me in Wellington".