Snehal Pradhan: ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup ready to build on initial success
Media release
The inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup was a long time in the making, but when it finally took place in 2023, it was a roaring success.
Initially scheduled to be played in January 2021 in Bangladesh, the Covid-19 pandemic saw the tournament pushed back two years while also shifting venues to South Africa.
While that was not part of the initial plan, it meant a double-header of ICC women’s events in the country, with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup taking place just a month later.
For Snehal Pradhan, manager of women’s cricket at the ICC, that turn of events served to make the tournament even more successful.
She explained: “It aligned that South Africa got the opportunity to host two back-to-back global women’s events. That is probably a unique opportunity for the country.
“It created momentum with the Under-19 World Cup starting to create awareness around women’s cricket in the country, that was capitalised upon with the Women’s T20 World Cup that followed, which culminated in that sell-out crowd in Newlands, in a market where women’s cricket had never been ticketed before.
“So, the whole thing came together really well, even though it came together much later and in a different place than originally planned.
“I have to give credit to those who came before me at the ICC. The Under-19 tournament has been a tournament that has been in discussion for a number of years and so many people, primarily our events team and the board who had the vision to commit to the tournament at this age, need to be acknowledged. The ambition was around opportunity and quality.
“Having this Under-19 tournament meant there was parity between the men’s and women’s events. You had a men’s and women’s 50-over World Cup, a men’s and women's T20 World Cup and a men’s and women’s Under-19 World Cup as well.
“The fact that parity existed was a big statement. The other part was opportunity, because the ambitions were that this tournament being in existence would drive change in member countries. It would build the junior pathways in those countries and that’s exactly what we saw.”
When the tournament did finally take place, it began with a bang as Bangladesh shocked Australia in the very first match in Benoni, a statement seven-wicket victory.
From that point on, it was clear that the quality of cricket and the possibility of surprises would be sky-high and so it proved.
India made their intentions clear with senior international stars Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh both named in their squad and playing a big role in their run to the title.
For Verma, it provided an opportunity to captain the side in a landmark tournament for the country.
Pradhan said: “The positioning of the tournament across men’s and women’s is future stars because this is a tournament that allows a number of players to make their name at Under-19 level before going on to play high-level international senior cricket.
“This tournament provided an opportunity to give a few players who had already made their name in international cricket, a platform to really step up as senior players in the team.
“For someone like Shafali Verma, she got the chance to lead the team and get captaincy experience, which she wouldn’t be close to at senior level, that was fantastic. The fact that she was able to lead India to a first ICC trophy on the women’s side was icing on the cake as far as the storyline. It’s huge for the tournament to be able to produce stars but also have stars coming in.”
Verma and Ghosh helped India ease through the group stage with three wins from three before they were beaten by Australia in their opening Super 6 encounter.
Both teams made it through to the semi-finals, with India beating New Zealand before England won a three-run thriller against the Aussies. On that occasion, they successfully defended 99, but after being bowled out for 68 in the final, the bowlers could not save the day again, India prevailing by seven wickets.
Their established stars played a big role, but there were others from elsewhere who have since kicked on.
This tournament gave many a first chance to see Georgia Plimmer in action for New Zealand – a little more than one year later, she was starring in the Women’s T20 World Cup final in Dubai as the White Ferns claimed the title.
Pradhan added: “It’s such a great story and probably a great advertisement of how important this tournament is in the pathway.
"It’s fair to say that Georgia Plimmer, if she hadn’t had the opportunity on the international stage that she got with New Zealand, may not have been fast-tracked into the senior team as quickly.
“The international exposure that they get, the fact that they get the experience of what a global event feels like, helps them settle down a bit more quickly in the senior side.
"They have been there before, and so for players like her, Milly Illingworth, who had a great WBBL season, for Theertha Satish of the UAE, who had a great tournament as well, she’s one of those who is now making a very big impact in the senior squad.
“To see these players graduate into international cricket is incredibly satisfying, it’s incredibly exciting to watch.
"Georgia Plimmer was making her name in a World Cup final just a couple of years after playing in the inaugural tournament.”
The tournament also saw the introduction of social media protection for female cricketers by the ICC, a structure developed in conjunction with the players who had shared their own experiences of abuse on social media.
With 16 teams competing in all, this was also the largest women’s tournament ever organised by the ICC.
The next tournament in Malaysia will look to build on its success, with Pradhan confident that the impact of this event will be long-lasting.
She added: “It was a fantastic success. It was very much a commitment to equity between the men’s tournament and the women's tournament but also a leap of faith.
"Countries were still maturing in how developed their women’s and junior pathways were so it was a chance to see the work that the countries have been putting in over the last few years.
“Having 16 teams was a fantastic starting point in the first place and this will drive more progress in those countries.”
ENDS