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| ACC Women's Championship | |
|---|---|
| Name | ACC Women's Championship |
| Organiser | Asian Cricket Council |
| Sport | Women's cricket |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Region | Asia |
| Number of teams | Varied (regional) |
| Current champion | Varied |
| Website | Asian Cricket Council |
ACC Women's Championship
The ACC Women's Championship is a regional cricket tournament for national women's national teams administered by the Asian Cricket Council to promote women's cricket across Asia. The competition has featured teams from established members such as India national women's cricket team, Pakistan women's national cricket team, and Sri Lanka women's national cricket team alongside emerging sides including Malaysia national women's cricket team, Nepal women's national cricket team, and Thailand women's national cricket team. It has been staged intermittently since its inception and has served both as a standalone championship and as a pathway for qualification to ICC Women's World Cup-related events and regional development programs run by the International Cricket Council.
First contested in 2007, the tournament was organised following initiatives by the Asian Cricket Council to expand competitive opportunities after the growth of ICC Women's Championship discussions and increased participation at events like the Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup. Early editions reflected dominance by established sides such as Pakistan women's national cricket team and Sri Lanka women's national cricket team while encouraging participation from associate members including Chinese Taipei women's national cricket team, Hong Kong women's national cricket team, Iran women's national cricket team, and Bhutan women's national cricket team. Over time the ACC adjusted the schedule and format in response to recommendations from the International Cricket Council and development priorities set at meetings involving the Marylebone Cricket Club and national boards like the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board. Political factors, funding cycles within the Asian Cricket Council, and the evolving calendar of the ICC Women's Championship have influenced the intermittent nature of the event.
The Championship has used formats including 50-over matches aligned with One Day International principles and, in some editions, 20-over matches reflecting the influence of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Playing conditions generally follow International Cricket Council standard playing conditions adapted for associate status, with match officials drawn from panels maintained by the Asian Cricket Council and participating national boards like the Cricket Association of Nepal and the Hong Kong Cricket Association. Tournament structures have included round-robin group stages followed by knockout semifinals and finals, promotion and relegation elements for divisional editions, and seeding informed by performances at events such as the Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup and regional qualifiers for the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier.
Participants have ranged from full members—India national women's cricket team, Pakistan women's national cricket team, Sri Lanka women's national cricket team, Bangladesh women's national cricket team—to associate and affiliate members: Thailand women's national cricket team, Nepal women's national cricket team, Malaysia national women's cricket team, Hong Kong women's national cricket team, UAE women's national cricket team, Oman women's national cricket team, China women's national cricket team, Singapore women's national cricket team, Bhutan women's national cricket team, and Iran women's national cricket team. Selection policies, squad sizes, and eligibility have been governed by national boards including the Cricket Association of Bengal, Pakistan Cricket Board, and the Sri Lanka Cricket board, with player development programs run in partnership with bodies like the Asian Cricket Council and coaching exchanges involving academies such as the National Cricket Academy (India).
Winners and podium finishers have frequently included Sri Lanka women's national cricket team and Pakistan women's national cricket team, while emerging sides like Thailand women's national cricket team and Nepal women's national cricket team have recorded notable upsets and breakthrough performances. Individual records have been set by players who later starred in multinational competitions, with leading run-scorers and wicket-takers often progressing to squads competing in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup and the Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Statistical highlights include high-team totals, individual centuries, five-wicket hauls, and record partnerships that have appeared in ACC archives and national record books maintained by boards such as the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board. The Championship has also been a stage for debut caps for players who later achieved recognition in leagues like the Women's Big Bash League and tournaments organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Host nations have varied across Asia, with tournaments staged in established cricket centres and developing venues overseen by associations such as the Cricket Association of Nepal, the Hong Kong Cricket Association, and the Malaysia Cricket. Matches have been played at grounds including district stadiums, national academies, and multi-purpose facilities accredited by the Asian Cricket Council for international fixtures. Venue selection has balanced infrastructure—practice facilities, pitch quality—and strategic development goals to expand women's cricket into regions supported by national ministries of sport and regional development initiatives tied to organisations like the Olympic Council of Asia.
Awards presented at tournaments have typically included Player of the Tournament, Best Batter, Best Bowler, and Best Fielder, with trophies and medals supplied by the Asian Cricket Council and sponsors from regional industries. Notable players who have featured include women who later represented India national women's cricket team and Pakistan women's national cricket team in major ICC events, as well as standout performers from Thailand women's national cricket team, Nepal women's national cricket team, and Malaysia national women's cricket team who became ambassadors for the sport. Alumni have gone on to coaching, administration, and advocacy roles within institutions such as the Asian Cricket Council, the International Cricket Council, and national federations, influencing policy on women's participation and talent pathways.
Category:Women's cricket in Asia Category:Asian Cricket Council tournaments