Christchurch's Hagley Oval will host the final of the Women's Cricket World Cup under its new lights next year, as part of the 31-match schedule announced on Tuesday.
The pinnacle event for women’s cricket will see 31 matches played across 31 action-packed days between March 4 and April 2022 – the first global women’s cricket event to be played since the Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia back in March.
The tournament was postponed from its original window in February/March 2021, with the same six host cities and venues retained for 2022.
Eight of the world’s best cricket nations will go head-to-head in across Aotearoa at venues at host cities in Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
The opening match of the tournament featuring the White Ferns and a yet-to-be-confirmed qualifier will be played at Tauranga's Bay Oval on March 4.
The iconic Basin Reserve will host a trans-Tasman showdown between Australia and New Zealand on March 13, as well as five other pool matches and the first semi-final of the tournament, with the second to be played at Hagley Oval.
Auckland's Eden Park will host a double-header weekend featuring Australia v India on March 19, followed by White Ferns v England on March 20.
On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson switched on the Hagley Oval lights for the first time.
“As a born-and-bred Cantabrian, it’s fantastic to see the Hagley Oval lights up and running," says White Ferns star Amy Satterthwaite.
"To play in a World Cup at our own stomping ground here in Christchurch, under lights, would be a real career highlight.
"It was hard to watch the T20 Women’s Cricket World Cup from the sidelines back in March (after giving birth in January) so seeing the match schedule all locked in for the ODI World Cup here in 2022 gives both myself and the rest of the team a target to strive for as we prepare over the next 16 months."
With the match schedule now locked in, ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup chief executive Andrea Nelson is excited to see the country get behind the event.
"Our team is proud to be delivering a tournament where Kiwis across the whole country, in each of our six host cities, can really get involved in what is a truly special event," says Nelson.
"We can't wait to see the excitement build around New Zealand as we prepare to roll out the welcome mat for the rest of the world.
"Major events like this one are all about creating a genuine legacy for the sport and we are proud to say our tournament was the catalyst for the installation of the Hagley Oval lights."
Click here for the full schedule of matches.
