The T20 World Cup is again with England hoping to finish Australia’s dominance.

For the reason that first version in 2009, England have reached three finals with none success, whereas Australia have received 5 of the seven toururnament, together with the final two in 2018 and 2020.

India, New Zealand and hosts South Africa will hope to elevate their first World Cup title, whereas West Indies will harbour hopes of clinching a second after beating Australia within the 2016 showpiece.

South Africa open the match towards Sri Lanka in Cape City on Friday, with England taking part in their first match on Saturday in Paarl towards West Indies, earlier than Australia tackle neighbours New Zealand on the identical stadium.

Sky Sports activities takes a glance by the contenders for this yr’s World Cup…

England

England got here up quick within the large occasions final yr, dropping to Australia within the closing of the 50-over World Cup after which struggling a semi-final exit to India on the Commonwealth Video games.

The brand new yr presents new alternatives beneath a brand new coach, after Jon Lewis took over from Lisa Keightley earlier than the West Indies tour in the direction of the top of the yr.

There’s a actual buzz across the younger England facet, with Sophie Ecclestone, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley and Lauren Bell established names within the T20 format.

Ecclestone made her debut as a 17-year-old and has gone on to to turn into top-of-the-line bowlers in white-ball cricket. Useful with the bat decrease down the order, she will probably be a key participant for England this yr.

With the bat, England have a mixture of expertise and youth and will probably be boosted by the inclusion of Alice Capsey, who has nailed down a spot at quantity three and recovered from a dislocated shoulder in time for the World Cup.

The World Cup may come a bit too quickly for England’s younger facet, however getting into as underdogs may go well with them. They are going to count on to get previous the group levels at least.

Squad: Heather Knight (captain), Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt

Reserves: Issy Wong and Dani Gibson

Australia

The standout favourites for the T20 World Cup as soon as once more, Australia have dominated ladies’s cricket in recent times.

The generational facet received one other World Cup final yr, so as to add to a gold medal on the Commonwealth Video games and an Ashes win to cap off one other profitable 12 months.

Australia had been unbeaten by the ODI World Cup and have proven little indicators of dropping their aura.

Wins all year long towards England and India confirmed their continued superiority within the ladies’s sport and with Meg Lanning again after taking an indefinite break and leg-spinner Georgia Wareham included after a prolonged damage lay off, Australia arrive in South Africa in a assured temper.

Squad: Meg Lanning (captain), Alyssa Healy, Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

India

The runners-up on the earlier T20 World Cup, India are nonetheless looking for their maiden world title.

They’re in a troublesome group alongside England, the West Indies, Pakistan and Eire, with a gap match towards bitter rivals Pakistan on February 12 in Cape City.

Final yr was a blended yr for India’s ladies. They beat Sri Lanka within the closing of the Asia Cup, however misplaced the December residence sequence towards Australia 4-1 and had been narrowly crushed by England in October’s three-match sequence.

India’s group match towards England may have some added chunk to it after the final match between the 2 sides ended with a controversial Mankad wicket, that led to a confrontation between each camps.

Harmanpreet Kaur will lead India’s facet, her third successive World Cup as captain.

Smriti Mandhana has been appointed as vice-captain, after she impressed not too long ago on the high of the order.

India welcome again Shikha Pandey after the bowler was chosen within the shortest format after greater than a yr, whereas Pooka Vastrkar is included regardless of health issues.

Kaur’s facet are among the many favourites and can hope to go one higher than the 2020 version of the match.

Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Anjali Sarvani, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey.

Reserves: Sabbhineni Meghana, Sneh Rana, Meghna Singh.

New Zealand

New Zealand are outsiders going into the World Cup in South Africa, however head coach Ben Sawyer is not ruling his facet out.

In November 2020, Sawyer stated his crew have “put collectively a blueprint of how we need to play” and with veteran skipper Sophie Devine main the facet as soon as once more, New Zealand will consider they will spring some surprises on the World Cup.

Devine is joined within the squad by regulars Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Maddy Inexperienced and Hayley Jensen, whereas skilled wicketkeeper-batter Jess McFadyen could possibly be in line for a debut after she was included as a alternative for Izzy Gaze.

New Zealand beat England to the bronze medal in the course of the Commonwealth Video games however completed third from backside of their World Cup group. In addition they received a T20 sequence towards Bangladesh at residence and towards West Indies away.

Total, New Zealand solely misplaced three of their 14 T20 matches in 2022 and go into the World Cup in good type.

Squad: Sophie Devine (captain), Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Maddy Inexperienced, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu.

Might West Indies and South Africa break Australia’s dominance?

The West Indies aren’t the identical facet that reached 4 semi-finals and a closing at earlier editions of the World Cup and had been dominated by England within the latest sequence on residence soil.

South Africa’s finest finishes got here in 2020 and 2014, after they reached the semi-finals however may have residence benefit on their facet though are with out common captain Dane van Niekerk, who didn’t “meet the minimal standards for health”.

Either side are able to springing surprises and can have to be carefully watched in the course of the match.

West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Trishan Holder, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams.

South Africa squad: Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Lara Goodall, Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Shabnim Ismail, Tazmin Brits, Masabata Klaas, Laura Wolvaardt, Sinalo Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Sune Luus (captain), Anneke Bosch, Delmi Tucker.

Non-traveling reserves: Micaéla Andrews, Tebogo Macheke, Tumi Sekhukhune

Squads

Pakistan: Bismah Maroof (captain), Aiman Anwer, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Sadaf Shama, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Ameen, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper), Tuba Hassan

Reserve: Ghulam Fatima and Kainat Imtiaz

Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Marufa Akter, Dilara Akter, Fahima Khatun, Salma Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Shamima Sultana, Rumana Ahmed, Lata Mondol, Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Ritu Moni, Disha Biswas, Sobhana Mostary

Reserves: Rabeya, Sanjida Akther Maghla, Fargana Hoque Pinky, Sharmin Akter Supta

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Oshadi Ranasinghe, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya, Vishmi Gunaratne, Tharika Sewwandi, Ama Kanchana, Sathya Sandeepani

Eire: Laura Delany (captain), Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Eimear Richardson, Rachel Delaney, Mary Waldron

Watch the ICC Ladies’s T20 World Cup reside on Sky Sports activities in from February 10.