Women's T20 World Cup: Australia the team to beat

The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup Women is set to get underway on Thursday, with Australia the hot fancies to dominate the tournament.

Australia have won the tournament on the last three occasions, and will be out to make it four in a row in the United Arab Emirates.

The T20 World Cup Women 2024 was due to be hosted by Bangladesh but has been switched to the United Arab Emirates.

However Bangladesh still hold the hosting rights, and the tournament will be played over the sames dates.

10 teams are set to battle it out, and the question remains, can anyone stop Australia from winning the T20 World Cup Women for a seventh time.

Australia can be backed at 1.72 to win the tournament, with India and England the biggest dangers to them.

. What: T20 World Cup Women 2024
. Where: United Arab Emirates
. When: 3rd to 20th October
. How to watch: Amazon Prime Video
. Odds: Australia 1.72, India 4.50, England 5.00

Australia hot fancies for four in a row

Australia have dominated the T20 World Cup Women since its inception, winning it on six occasions, and they will take some stopping in 2024.

The Aussies won the T20 World Cup Women in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023, while they were also beaten finalist in 2016.

Australia have been drawn in Group A along with India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and should have no issue making their way through.

The top two advance through to the knock-out stage and if all goes to plan, that should be Australia and India.

Australia are priced at 1.36 to win Group A, with India available at 4.00.

Australia do have injury concerns heading into the tournament with doubts over the fitness of Phoebe Litchfield and Grace Harris.

Litchfield has been ruled out of the warm-up games with groin soreness but it is hoped she will be ready for the opening game.

Harris has injury niggles but is back in training and should be given the all-clear to play.

England out to win Group B

England look to be the team to beat in Group B and are 1.50 to finish top of the pile and make it through to the knock-out phase.

However they can take nothing for granted and both South Africa at 4.75, and the West Indies at 5.00, cannot be written off.

England in 2009 and the West Indies in 2016, are the only other two nations to have won the T20 World Cup Women.

West Indies can be backed at 21.00 to cause a big upset by winning it again in 2024.

Opening matches

Australia will get their campaign underway when they take on Sri Lanka on Saturday 5th October, before a clash with New Zealand on 8th October.

They will then wrap up the group stage with games against Pakistan and India on the 11th and 13th October respectively.

Bangladesh will open the tournament on Thursday when they take on Scotland, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka will also play on the same day.