Women's Cricket World Cup

See also: Men's Cricket World Cup and Women's T20 World Cup

Women's Cricket World Cup

logo
Administrator	International Cricket Council
Format	ODI
First edition	1973 England
Latest edition	2025 India
Number of teams	8 (10 from 2029)
Current champion	India (1st title)
Most successful	Australia (7 titles)
Most runs	Debbie Hockley (1,501)
Most wickets	Marizanne Kapp (44)

The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup is the quadrennial international championship of the One Day International format with 50 overs per team. It is organised by the International Cricket Council.

Until 2005, when the two organisations merged, it was administered by a separate body, the International Women's Cricket Council. The first World Cup was held in England in 1973, two years before the inaugural men's tournament. The event's early years were marked by funding difficulties, which meant several teams had to decline invitations to compete and caused gaps of up to six years between tournaments. However, since 2005, World Cups have been hosted at regular four-year intervals.

Qualification for the World Cup is through the ICC Women's Championship and the World Cup Qualifier. The 1997 edition was contested by a eleven teams ^[1] and since then no new teams have debuted in the tournament. Since 2000 the number of teams in the World Cup has been fixed at eight. However, in March 2021, the ICC decided that the tournament would expand to 10 teams from the 2029 edition. ^{[2] [3]}

The thirteen World Cups played have been held in five countries, with India and England having hosted the event three times. Australia is the most successful team, having won seven titles and failing to make the final on only four occasions. England (four titles), New Zealand and India (one title each) are the only other teams to have won the event, while the West Indies and South Africa (once each) have each reached the final without going on to win.

History

First World Cup

Women's international cricket was first played in 1934, when a party from England toured Australia and New Zealand. The first Test match was played on 28–31 December 1934, and was won by England. ^[4] The first Test against New Zealand followed early the following year. These three nations remained the only Test-playing teams in women's cricket until 1960, when South Africa played a number of matches against England. ^[4] Limited overs cricket was first played by first-class teams in England in 1962. ^[5] Nine years later, the first international one day match was played in men's cricket, when England took on Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ^[6]

Talks began in 1971 about holding a World Cup for women's cricket, led by Jack Hayward. ^[7] South Africa, under pressure from the world for their apartheid laws, were not invited to take part in the competition. ^[8] Both of the other two Test-playing nations, Australia and New Zealand were invited. Hayward had previously organised tours of the West Indies by England women and it was from this region that the other two competing nations were drawn; Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. To make up the numbers England also fielded a "Young England" team, and an "International XI" was also included. ^[7] Five South Africans were invited to play for the International XI as a means of compensation for the team not being invited but these invitations were later withdrawn. ^[8]

The inaugural tournament was held at a variety of venues across England in June and July 1973, ^[9] two years before the first men's Cricket World Cup was played. ^[10] The competition was played as a round-robin tournament and the last scheduled match was England against Australia. Australia went into the game leading the table by a solitary point; they had won four matches and had one abandoned. England had also won four matches but they had lost to New Zealand. ^{[9] [11]} As a result, the match also served as a de facto final for the competition. England won the match, held at Edgbaston Birmingham, by 92 runs to win the tournament. ^[12]

Editions and results

Fifteen teams have appeared at the Women's Cricket World Cup at least once, excluding qualification tournaments. Three teams have competed at every tournament: England, Australia and New Zealand. They were the only sides to have won a title until 2025, when India won their first title.

S.No.	Year	Host(s)	Final venue	Final			Teams	Winning Captain
				Winners	Result	Runners-up
1	1973	England	No final	England 20 points	England won on points table	Australia 17 points	7	Rachael Heyhoe Flint
2	1978	India	No final	Australia 6 points	Australia won on points table	England 4 points	4	Margaret Jennings
3	1982	New Zealand	Lancaster Park, Christchurch	Australia 152/7 (59 overs)	Australia won by 3 wickets scorecard	England 151/5 (60 overs)	5	Sharon Tredrea
4	1988	Australia	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	Australia 129/2 (44.5 overs)	Australia won by 8 wickets scorecard	England 127/7 (60 overs)	5	Sharon Tredrea
5	1993	England	Lord's, London	England 195/5 (60 overs)	England won by 67 runs scorecard	New Zealand 128 (55.1 overs)	8	Karen Smithies
6	1997	India	Eden Gardens, Kolkata	Australia 165/5 (47.4 overs)	Australia won by 5 wickets scorecard	New Zealand 164 (49.3 overs)	11	Belinda Clark
7	2000	New Zealand	Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln	New Zealand 184 (48.4 overs)	New Zealand won by 4 runs scorecard	Australia 180 (49.1 overs)	8	Emily Drumm
8	2005	South Africa	SuperSport Park, Centurion	Australia 215/4 (50 overs)	Australia won by 98 runs scorecard	India 117 (46 overs)	8	Belinda Clark
9	2009	Australia	North Sydney Oval, Sydney	England 167/6 (46.1 overs)	England won by 4 wickets scorecard	New Zealand 166 (47.2 overs)	8	Charlotte Edwards
10	2013	India	Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai	Australia 259/7 (50 overs)	Australia won by 114 runs scorecard	West Indies 145 (43.1 overs)	8	Jodie Fields
11	2017	England	Lord's, London	England 228/7 (50 overs)	England won by 9 runs scorecard	India 219 (48.4 overs)	8	Heather Knight
12	2022	New Zealand	Hagley Oval, Christchurch	Australia 356/5 (50 overs)	Australia won by 71 runs scorecard	England 285 (43.4 overs)	8	Meg Lanning
13	2025	India Sri Lanka [a]	DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai	India 298/7 (50 overs)	India won by 52 runs scorecard	South Africa 246 (45.3 overs)	8	Harmanpreet Kaur

Performance by nations

Overview

The table below provides an overview of the performances of nations over past World Cups, as of the end of the 2025 tournament. Teams are sorted by best performance, then by appearances, total number of wins, total number of games, and alphabetical order respectively.

	Appearances				Statistics
Team	Total	First	Latest	Best performance	Mat.	Won	Lost	Tie	NR	Win%
Australia	13	1973	2025	Champions(1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013, 2022)	100	85	12	1	2	86.73
England	13	1973	2025	Champions(1973, 1993, 2009, 2017)	100	67	29	2	2	68.36
New Zealand	13	1973	2025	Champions(2000)	94	55	34	2	3	60.43
India	11	1978	2025	Champions(2025)	79	42	34	1	2	54.54
South Africa	8	1997	2025	Runners-up(2025)	55	26	27	0	2	49.05
West Indies	8	1993	2022	Runners-up(2013)	46	16	28	0	1	34.78
International XI ‡	2	1973	1982	4th place(1973)	18	3	14	0	1	16.66
Ireland	5	1988	2005	Quarter-finals(1997)	34	7	26	0	1	20.58
Sri Lanka	7	1997	2025	5th place(2013, 2025)	41	9	29	0	2	23.68
Netherlands	4	1988	2000	Quarter-finals(1997)	26	2	24	0	0	7.69
Trinidad & Tobago †	1	1973	1973	5th place(1973)	6	2	4	0	0	33.33
Pakistan	6	1997	2025	6th place(2009)	37	3	31	0	3	8.82
Jamaica †	1	1973	1973	6th place(1973)	5	1	4	0	0	20.00
Bangladesh	2	2022	2025	7th place(2022, 2025)	14	2	11	0	1	15.38
Denmark	2	1993	1997	7th place(1993)	13	2	11	0	0	15.38
Young England ‡	1	1973	1973	Bottom place(1973)	6	1	5	0	0	16.66
As of 2 November 2025 Source: ESPNcricinfo

†No longer have ODI status. ‡No longer exists.

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• SF – Losing semi-finalist (no third-place playoff)
• QF – Losing quarter-finalist (no further playoffs)
•    — Hosts

Team	1973 (7)	1978 (4)	1982 (5)	1988 (5)	1993 (8)	1997 (11)	2000 (8)	2005 (8)	2009 (8)	2013 (8)	2017 (8)	2022 (8)	2025 (8)	Total
Australia	2nd	1st	1st	1st	3rd	1st	2nd	1st	4th	1st	SF	1st	SF	13
Bangladesh	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	7th	7th	2
Denmark	–	–	–	–	7th	9th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
England	1st	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	SF	5th	SF	1st	3rd	1st	2nd	SF	13
India	–	4th	4th	–	4th	SF	SF	2nd	3rd	7th	2nd	5th	1st	11
Ireland	–	–	–	4th	5th	QF	7th	8th	–	–	–	–	–	5
Netherlands	–	–	–	5th	8th	QF	8th	–	–	–	–	–	–	4
New Zealand	3rd	3rd	3rd	3rd	2nd	2nd	1st	SF	2nd	4th	5th	6th	6th	13
Pakistan	–	–	–	–	–	11th	–	–	5th	8th	8th	8th	8th	6
South Africa	–	–	–	–	–	QF	SF	7th	7th	6th	SF	SF	2nd	8
Sri Lanka	–	–	–	–	–	QF	6th	6th	8th	5th	7th	–	5th	7
West Indies	–	–	–	–	6th	10th	–	5th	6th	2nd	6th	SF	–	7
Defunct teams
International XI	4th	–	5th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2
Jamaica	6th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Trinidad & Tobago	5th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Young England	7th	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	1

Debutant teams

Year	Teams
1973	Australia,   England,   New Zealand, International XI ‡,   Jamaica †,   Trinidad and Tobago †,   Young England ‡
1978	India
1982	none
1988	Ireland,   Netherlands
1993	Denmark,   West Indies
1997	Pakistan,   South Africa,   Sri Lanka
2000	none
2005	none
2009	none
2013	none
2017	none
2022	Bangladesh
2025	none

†No longer have ODI status. ‡No longer exists.

Awards

Player of the Tournament Year Player Performance details 1988 Carole Hodges 336 runs & 12 wickets 2000 Lisa Keightley 375 runs 2005 Karen Rolton 246 runs 2009 Claire Taylor 324 runs 2013 Suzie Bates 407 runs 2017 Tammy Beaumont 410 runs 2022 Alyssa Healy 509 runs 2025 Deepti Sharma 215 runs & 22 wickets

Player of the Final Year Player Performance details 1993 Jo Chamberlain 38 (33) & 1/28 (9) 1997 Debbie Hockley 79 (121) 2000 Belinda Clark 91 (102) 2005 Karen Rolton 107* (128) 2009 Nicky Shaw 4/34 (8.2) 2013 Jess Cameron 75 (76) 2017 Anya Shrubsole 6/46 (9.4) 2022 Alyssa Healy 170 (138) 2025 Shafali Verma 87 (78) & 2/36 (7)

Team statistics

Results of host teams Year Host Team Finish 1973   England Champions 1978   India 4th place 1982   New Zealand 3rd place 1988   Australia Champions 1993   England Champions 1997   India Semi-finalists 2000   New Zealand Champions 2005   South Africa 7th place 2009   Australia 4th place 2013   India 7th place 2017   England Champions 2022   New Zealand 6th place 2025   India Champions   Sri Lanka 5th place

Results of defending champions Year Defending champions Finish 1978   England Runners-up 1982   Australia Champions 1988   Australia Champions 1993   Australia 3rd place 1997   England Semi-finalists 2000   Australia Runners-up 2005   New Zealand Semi-finalists 2009   Australia 4th place 2013   England 3rd place 2017   Australia Semi-finalists 2022   England Runners-up 2025   Australia Semi-finalists 2029   India

Tournament records

Main article: List of Women's Cricket World Cup records

World Cup records

Batting
Most runs	Debbie Hockley	1,501	1982–2000	[13]
Highest average (min. 10 innings)	Karen Rolton	74.92	1997–2009	[14]
Highest score	Belinda Clark (v   Denmark)	229*	1997	[15]
Highest partnership	Tammy Beaumont & Sarah Taylor (v   South Africa)	275	2017	[16]
Most runs in a tournament	Laura Wolvaardt	571	2025	[17]
Bowling
Most wickets	Marizanne Kapp	44	2009–2025	[18]
Lowest average (min. 500 balls bowled)	Katrina Keenan	9.72	1997–2000	[19]
Best bowling figures	Alana King (v   South Africa)	7/18	2025	[20]
Most wickets in a tournament	Lyn Fullston	23	1982	[21]
Fielding
Most dismissals (wicket-keeper)	Jane Smit	40	1993–2005	[22]
Most catches	Janette Brittin	19	1982–1997	[23]
	Suzie Bates		2009–2025
Team
Highest score	Australia (v   Denmark)	412/3	1997	[24]
Lowest score	Pakistan (v   Australia)	27	1997	[25]
Highest win %	Australia	86.73		[26]
Most Wins		85		[27]

See also

• Cricket portal
• Sports portal
• World portal

• ICC Women's Championship
• Women's T20 World Cup
• ICC Women's Champions Trophy
• Cricket World Cup

Notes

1. The official sole host for the tournament was India. Following an agreement between the BCCI and the PCB, the ICC confirmed Sri Lanka as hosts for all Pakistani matches as well as some Sri Lankan games.

References

1. "Points Table | ICC Women's World Cup 1997". static.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
2. Jolly, Laura (8 March 2021). "New event, more teams added to World Cup schedule". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
3. "ICC announces expansion of the women's game". www.icc-cricket.com. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
4. Heyhoe Flint & Rheinberg 1976, pp. 175–180.
5. Williamson, Martin (9 April 2011). "The low-key birth of one-day cricket". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 September 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
6. Williamson, Martin (22 June 2010). "The birth of the one-day international". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
7. Heyhoe Flint & Rheinberg 1976, p. 168.
8. "World Cups 1926–1997". Women's Cricket History. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
9. "Women's World Cup, 1973 / Results". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
10. Baker, Andrew (20 March 2009). "England women's cricketers aiming to lift World Cup for third time". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
11. "Women's World Cup 1973 Table". CricketArchive. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
12. "21st Match: England Women v Australia Women at Birmingham, Jul 28, 1973". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
13. "Records / Women's World Cup / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
14. "Records / Women's World Cup / Highest averages". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
15. "Records / Women's World Cup / High scores". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
16. "Records / Women's World Cup / Highest partnerships by runs". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
17. "Records / Women's World Cup / Most runs in a series". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
18. "Records / Women's World Cup / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
19. "Women's World Cup / Best averages". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
20. "Records / Women's World Cup / Best bowling figures in an innings". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 6 November 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
21. "Records / Women's World Cup / Most wickets in a series". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 27 November 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
22. "Records / Women's World Cup / Most dismissals". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
23. "Records / Women's World Cup / Most catches". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
24. "Records / Women's World Cup / Highest totals". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
25. "Records / Women's World Cup / Lowest totals". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
26. "Records / Women's World Cup / Result summary". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
27. "Records / Women's World Cup / Result summary". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2012.

Bibliography

• Heyhoe Flint, Rachael; Rheinberg, Netta (1976). Fair Play: The story of women's cricket. London: Angus and Robertson. ISBN   0-207-95698-7.

External links

• Women's World Cup match records from the International Cricket Council
• Cricinfo Women
• ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2008–09
• Winning Squads