Cricket is the first discipline to announce qualifying teams for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as the sport makes a landmark re-entry to the prestigious multi-sport event scheduled from July 28 to&nbsp;August 8 in 2022.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) made the announcement on Monday as women’s cricket features in the Games for the first time in 22 editions and cricket for only the second time ever, the first occasion being a men’s ODI competition in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, which was won by South Africa.

The six qualifiers who join home team England in the eight-team Twenty20 competition are Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and a country from the West Indies. They have secured qualification as a result of their standings in the&nbsp;ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings on 1 April 2021.

As per the qualification process, the winner of a designated Qualifying event will determine which country from the Caribbean region gets to participate as athletes will be representing their individual countries and not the West Indies as they would at ICC events.

The last participating team will be decided through a Qualifying tournament to be held by January 31,&nbsp;2022, details of which will be announced in due course.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kkrs-pat-cummins-donates-50000-to-pm-cares-fund-for-oxygen-supplies-urge-ipl-players-to-contribute-380530" hreflang="en">KKR's Pat Cummins donates $50,000 to PM Cares Fund for oxygen supplies, urge IPL players to contribute</a>

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete across 11 spectacular days of sport. Birmingham 2022 will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men.&nbsp;

The Commonwealth Games cricket tournament will take place at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium, with tickets set to go on sale later this year.&nbsp;

ICC Acting Chief Executive Geoff Allardice: “We are incredibly proud and excited to be part of Birmingham 2022 and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women’s game globally.&nbsp;

“We are committed to maintaining the momentum that saw 86,174 fans packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last year and Birmingham 2022 gives us another global stage on which to showcase the women’s game.&nbsp;

“On behalf of the ICC and its Members, I thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for their support and look forward to seeing some superb cricket at Edgbaston.”

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin: “It is an exciting milestone to be announcing the first teams to qualify for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Cricket is a sport that is synonymous with the Commonwealth and we are so excited to have it back in the Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-star-ashwin-withdraws-from-ipl-to-support-family-in-covid-fight-380524" hreflang="en">Indian star Ashwin withdraws from IPL to support family in Covid fight</a>

“The debut of women’s T20 cricket will be a historic moment for Commonwealth Sport and a wonderful showcase for women’s sport across the world. Congratulations to the teams that have now booked their spot to compete at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium for what I am certain will be an unforgettable tournament.”

England captain Heather Knight: “We’re really excited about hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and it offers a big opportunity for women’s cricket, both in England and Wales and around the world.

“With direct entry into the competition confirmed, we’re one step closer to being on the pitch in Birmingham, and the prospect of potentially winning a medal is something that will be at the back of our minds across the next 12 months.&nbsp;

“It’s going to be a fantastic competition, a real chance to showcase the women’s game to a huge audience and it’s one we’re thrilled to be taking part in.”

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “It’s great to be confirmed a place in the Commonwealth Games. We are raring to go, confident of doing well after having made the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

“It is an awesome opportunity for both the women’s game and cricket to make a mark at the prestigious multi-discipline Games and we hope to return with loads of good memories.”&nbsp;

South Africa captain Sune Luus: “Participating in the Commonwealth Games will be an awesome experience for the teams and a tremendous opportunity to take cricket to new audiences.

“We have been constantly improving as a side and will go into the event hoping to emulate our men’s team, which won gold the only previous time cricket featured in the Games.”

Cricket is the first discipline to announce qualifying teams for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as the sport makes a landmark re-entry to the prestigious multi-sport event scheduled from July 28 to August 8 in 2022.

Cricket is the first discipline to announce qualifying teams for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as the sport makes a landmark re-entry to the prestigious multi-sport event scheduled from July 28 to August 8 in 2022. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) made the announcement on Monday as women’s cricket features in the Games for the first time in 22 editions and cricket for only the second time ever, the first occasion being a men’s ODI competition in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, which was won by South Africa. The six qualifiers who join home team England in the eight-team Twenty20 competition are Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and a country from the West Indies. They have secured qualification as a result of their standings in the ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings on 1 April 2021. As per the qualification process, the winner of a designated Qualifying event will determine which country from the Caribbean region gets to participate as athletes will be representing their individual countries and not the West Indies as they would at ICC events. The last participating team will be decided through a Qualifying tournament to be held by January 31, 2022, details of which will be announced in due course. ALSO READ: KKR's Pat Cummins donates $50,000 to PM Cares Fund for oxygen supplies, urge IPL players to contribute The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will see 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete across 11 spectacular days of sport. Birmingham 2022 will be the first major multi-sport event in history to award more medals to women than men. The Commonwealth Games cricket tournament will take place at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium, with tickets set to go on sale later this year. ICC Acting Chief Executive Geoff Allardice: “We are incredibly proud and excited to be part of Birmingham 2022 and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women’s game globally. “We are committed to maintaining the momentum that saw 86,174 fans packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last year and Birmingham 2022 gives us another global stage on which to showcase the women’s game. “On behalf of the ICC and its Members, I thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for their support and look forward to seeing some superb cricket at Edgbaston.” Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin: “It is an exciting milestone to be announcing the first teams to qualify for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Cricket is a sport that is synonymous with the Commonwealth and we are so excited to have it back in the Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998. ALSO READ: Indian star Ashwin withdraws from IPL to support family in Covid fight “The debut of women’s T20 cricket will be a historic moment for Commonwealth Sport and a wonderful showcase for women’s sport across the world. Congratulations to the teams that have now booked their spot to compete at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium for what I am certain will be an unforgettable tournament.” England captain Heather Knight: “We’re really excited about hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and it offers a big opportunity for women’s cricket, both in England and Wales and around the world. “With direct entry into the competition confirmed, we’re one step closer to being on the pitch in Birmingham, and the prospect of potentially winning a medal is something that will be at the back of our minds across the next 12 months. “It’s going to be a fantastic competition, a real chance to showcase the women’s game to a huge audience and it’s one we’re thrilled to be taking part in.” India captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “It’s great to be confirmed a place in the Commonwealth Games. We are raring to go, confident of doing well after having made the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year. “It is an awesome opportunity for both the women’s game and cricket to make a mark at the prestigious multi-discipline Games and we hope to return with loads of good memories.” South Africa captain Sune Luus: “Participating in the Commonwealth Games will be an awesome experience for the teams and a tremendous opportunity to take cricket to new audiences. “We have been constantly improving as a side and will go into the event hoping to emulate our men’s team, which won gold the only previous time cricket featured in the Games.”

Cricket first sport to announce qualifiers for next year's Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth of Nations is a unique association of 54 free and equal member states, including India and the UK. It represents a network of over 2.4 billion people spanning six continents, a third of the World Trade Organisation, a quarter of the G20, and a fifth of all global trade. We may not always agree, but we always start from a position of strength – thanks to our intertwined history, shared values, common language, and similar legal systems.

At the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in 2018, member states jointly committed to make our world more fair, secure, sustainable, and prosperous. Organised in London, it was the largest summit of its kind in UK history with participation from 46 world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi. The UK is committed to realising the full potential of this association and pledged £500m in support.

I cannot emphasise enough the vital role India has to play in realising these ambitions. &nbsp;It is the world’s largest democracy, 5th largest economy, and home to 60 per cent&nbsp;of the Commonwealth’s population. It will also host the G20 in 2022. India is already providing impressive support to the 32 ‘small states’ – those member states that are particularly vulnerable to external shocks as a result of their geographic positioning, inherent structural challenges, and deep integration into the global economy. India is at the forefront of furthering South-South development with Prime Minister Modi’s commitment at the London CHOGM to double India’s contribution to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation.

The Commonwealth is a natural constituency for India. It gives India the appropriate platform to shape global debate, gives small states a voice at major international fora, and to share its expertise and know-how more widely. I’m delighted to note that Jadav Payeng from Assam, the ‘forest man of India’, has been awarded the 128th Commonwealth Points of Light Award for his work on environment conservation. One individual planting trees over decades to create an entire forest reserve is a powerful metaphor for what the UK and India can achieve together as a global force for good.

A distinguishing feature of the Commonwealth is that it not just a network of governments, but a family of interconnected networks. Architects, doctors, nurses, journalists, magistrates and judges are just some of the groups who have established a formal Commonwealth network. One example is the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, who under the leadership of Indian Supreme Court advocate Santhaan Krishnan brought together lawyers from across the Commonwealth, in Zambia, on the theme of: “The Rule of Law in Retreat? Challenges for the Modern Commonwealth.” At one session, Indian advocates shared their experience and learnings from the process that led to the Supreme Court ruled section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional.

Sport is a common thread that binds us together. The Commonwealth Cricket Camp, announced by PM Modi, and run at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru under the expert eye of legend Rahul Dravid last October, brought together two vital elements of the Commonwealth, youth and cricket. I look forward to welcoming the Indian team to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in 2022. The Games’ vision of building peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities globally through Sport encapsulates the values of the modern Commonwealth. I am also very pleased that India will host Commonwealth shooting and archery events in Chandīgarh in January 2022, and that India is considering bidding to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026.

Having hosted the last CHOGM, the UK is Chair-in-Office until the next summit in Kigali this June. We are working with Commonwealth partners to tackle the great challenges of our time. One of these challenges is climate change. We know climate change will cause hardship, instability and conflict for the world. The most vulnerable will suffer first and hardest. This year, as co-hosts of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the UK will look to India once again. And it’s almost poetic that COP26 President, Alok Sharma, so perfectly encapsulates the UK-India ’living bridge’.

I, too, am a part of this living bridge that connects our nations – a true citizen of the Commonwealth. As Minister for the Commonwealth, I’ve the good fortune of navigating this unique network, seeing first-hand the close bonds we share, and to marvel at what we have achieved when we have come together.

I hope you will share my ambition, and that of our Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab of strengthening our incredible ties. In doing so, I wish all of the 54 member states of the Commonwealth family that span the globe a very happy Commonwealth day. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

The Commonwealth of Nations is a unique association of 54 free and equal member states, including India and the UK. It represents a network of over 2.4 billion people spanning six continents, a third of the World Trade Organisation, a quarter of the G20, and a fifth of all global trade.

The Commonwealth of Nations is a unique association of 54 free and equal member states, including India and the UK. It represents a network of over 2.4 billion people spanning six continents, a third of the World Trade Organisation, a quarter of the G20, and a fifth of all global trade. We may not always agree, but we always start from a position of strength – thanks to our intertwined history, shared values, common language, and similar legal systems. At the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in 2018, member states jointly committed to make our world more fair, secure, sustainable, and prosperous. Organised in London, it was the largest summit of its kind in UK history with participation from 46 world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi. The UK is committed to realising the full potential of this association and pledged £500m in support. I cannot emphasise enough the vital role India has to play in realising these ambitions. It is the world’s largest democracy, 5th largest economy, and home to 60 per cent of the Commonwealth’s population. It will also host the G20 in 2022. India is already providing impressive support to the 32 ‘small states’ – those member states that are particularly vulnerable to external shocks as a result of their geographic positioning, inherent structural challenges, and deep integration into the global economy. India is at the forefront of furthering South-South development with Prime Minister Modi’s commitment at the London CHOGM to double India’s contribution to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation. The Commonwealth is a natural constituency for India. It gives India the appropriate platform to shape global debate, gives small states a voice at major international fora, and to share its expertise and know-how more widely. I’m delighted to note that Jadav Payeng from Assam, the ‘forest man of India’, has been awarded the 128th Commonwealth Points of Light Award for his work on environment conservation. One individual planting trees over decades to create an entire forest reserve is a powerful metaphor for what the UK and India can achieve together as a global force for good. A distinguishing feature of the Commonwealth is that it not just a network of governments, but a family of interconnected networks. Architects, doctors, nurses, journalists, magistrates and judges are just some of the groups who have established a formal Commonwealth network. One example is the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, who under the leadership of Indian Supreme Court advocate Santhaan Krishnan brought together lawyers from across the Commonwealth, in Zambia, on the theme of: “The Rule of Law in Retreat? Challenges for the Modern Commonwealth.” At one session, Indian advocates shared their experience and learnings from the process that led to the Supreme Court ruled section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional. Sport is a common thread that binds us together. The Commonwealth Cricket Camp, announced by PM Modi, and run at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru under the expert eye of legend Rahul Dravid last October, brought together two vital elements of the Commonwealth, youth and cricket. I look forward to welcoming the Indian team to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in 2022. The Games’ vision of building peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities globally through Sport encapsulates the values of the modern Commonwealth. I am also very pleased that India will host Commonwealth shooting and archery events in Chandīgarh in January 2022, and that India is considering bidding to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026. Having hosted the last CHOGM, the UK is Chair-in-Office until the next summit in Kigali this June. We are working with Commonwealth partners to tackle the great challenges of our time. One of these challenges is climate change. We know climate change will cause hardship, instability and conflict for the world. The most vulnerable will suffer first and hardest. This year, as co-hosts of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the UK will look to India once again. And it’s almost poetic that COP26 President, Alok Sharma, so perfectly encapsulates the UK-India ’living bridge’. I, too, am a part of this living bridge that connects our nations – a true citizen of the Commonwealth. As Minister for the Commonwealth, I’ve the good fortune of navigating this unique network, seeing first-hand the close bonds we share, and to marvel at what we have achieved when we have come together. I hope you will share my ambition, and that of our Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab of strengthening our incredible ties. In doing so, I wish all of the 54 member states of the Commonwealth family that span the globe a very happy Commonwealth day. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Commonwealth links and a wealth of knowledge

India's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has urged his British counterpart, Nicky Morgan, to have shooting included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The Birmingham organising committee has dropped shooting from the programme because of no suitable space, prompting a threat from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to boycott the Games.

In a letter on Tuesday, Rijiju asked Morgan, secretary of state for sport, to intervene and bring back a sport that has been part of the Commonwealth Games since 1974.

"It seems the decision to exclude shooting is based on the premise that shooting had never been a compulsory sport and there is no venue available for holding shooting events," Rijiju wrote to Morgan.

"The Indian public takes a keen interest in shooting. In a constructive gesture, the International Shooting Federation (ISSF) has offered to share the cost for the inclusion of shooting in Birmingham CWG."

India topped the table for shooting at last year's edition in Australia, taking home 16 medals including seven gold for a total tally of 66 medals&nbsp;the third best performing nation in the games overall.

Rijiju noted that India makes up more than half of 2.4-billion-strong population of the 53-nation Commonwealth.

India's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has urged his British counterpart, Nicky Morgan, to have shooting included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Birmingham organising committee has dropped shooting from the programme because of no suitable space, prompting a threat from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to boycott the Games.

India's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has urged his British counterpart, Nicky Morgan, to have shooting included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The Birmingham organising committee has dropped shooting from the programme because of no suitable space, prompting a threat from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to boycott the Games. In a letter on Tuesday, Rijiju asked Morgan, secretary of state for sport, to intervene and bring back a sport that has been part of the Commonwealth Games since 1974. "It seems the decision to exclude shooting is based on the premise that shooting had never been a compulsory sport and there is no venue available for holding shooting events," Rijiju wrote to Morgan. "The Indian public takes a keen interest in shooting. In a constructive gesture, the International Shooting Federation (ISSF) has offered to share the cost for the inclusion of shooting in Birmingham CWG." India topped the table for shooting at last year's edition in Australia, taking home 16 medals including seven gold for a total tally of 66 medals the third best performing nation in the games overall. Rijiju noted that India makes up more than half of 2.4-billion-strong population of the 53-nation Commonwealth.

India pushes for inclusion of shooting in Commonwealth Games

Birmingham, on Thursday, was confirmed as the official host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Louise Martin, President, Commonwealth Games Federation, made the announcement at Birmingham&#39;s Arena Academy.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Thanks for coming to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Brum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Brum</a> Commonwealth Games <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Birmingham2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Birmingham2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/kIL12SMDim">pic.twitter.com/kIL12SMDim</a>
&mdash; Birmingham 2022 (@birminghamcg22) <a href="https://twitter.com/birminghamcg22/status/943783864396369920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&quot;After being chosen ahead of Liverpool as Britain&#39;s candidate city, Birmingham&#39;s was the only bid submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) by the 30 September deadline,&quot; BBC reported.&nbsp;

&quot;Birmingham matched the vision of the Commonwealth sports movement. We believe it will bring peace, sustainability and prosperity to the Commonwealth,&quot; Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce tweeted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Louise Martin, President, Commonwealth Games Federation, made the announcement at Birmingham's Arena Academy

Birmingham, on Thursday, was confirmed as the official host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Louise Martin, President, Commonwealth Games Federation, made the announcement at Birmingham's Arena Academy. Thanks for coming to #Brum Commonwealth Games #Birmingham2022 pic.twitter.com/kIL12SMDim — Birmingham 2022 (@birminghamcg22) December 21, 2017 × "After being chosen ahead of Liverpool as Britain's candidate city, Birmingham's was the only bid submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) by the 30 September deadline," BBC reported. "Birmingham matched the vision of the Commonwealth sports movement. We believe it will bring peace, sustainability and prosperity to the Commonwealth," Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce tweeted. (With inputs from agencies)

Birmingham to host 2022 Commonwealth Games