Women's T20 World Cup predictions and cricket betting tips

Where to watch

Tournament starts 5pm Friday; live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event

Best bet

New Zealand to win T20 World Cup
1pt each-way 9-1 bet365

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Women's T20 World Cup preview

Few international teams have dominated their sport in the manner of Australia's women cricketers over the past decade and Meg Lanning's side are just 8-13 to win the T20 World Cup for the sixth time in eight editions.

Australia hammered India by 85 runs in front of 86,000 spectators at the MCG in the 2020 final, thumped England to regain the 50-over World Cup last year, and come into the tournament in South Africa in ominous Twenty20 form.

They have won 16 of their last 17 completed T20 internationals, striking gold at last year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham during that sequence, and their only defeat came in a Super Over against India in December when they had scored 187-1 batting first.

Lanning, rejuvenated after a break from the sport last year, leads a squad packed with stars including Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath and Ash Gardner while leg-spinner Alana King starred in The Hundred and has already recorded figures of 4-8, 3-8 and 3-9 in her brief T20 international career.

India and England are seen as the most likely challengers to the awesome Aussies. India's batting line-up is their area of strength, although they were bowled out for just 85 in a deflating warm-up defeat to Australia in Cape Town on Monday.

England, winners of the inaugural T20 World Cup at Lord's in 2009, were skittled for 105 in the 2018 final by Australia, who also chased down 170 for the loss of just one wicket in their most recent meeting in Adelaide last year.

Heather Knight's side start their campaign against the West Indies, world T20 champions in 2016, in Group B on Saturday and they also face tricky group-stage fixtures against India and Pakistan.

Hosts South Africa are in Group A along with Australia but odds of 25-1 are a fair reflection of their chances after the retirements of Liselle Lee and Mignon du Preez and the controversial omission of captain Dane van Niekerk on fitness grounds.

That selection decision will surely have unsettled the players, not least star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, who is married to Van Niekerk, and New Zealand should chase home Australia in Group A.

Punters keen to oppose the favourites should have a small each-way punt on the 9-1 White Ferns, who took bronze at the Commonwealth Games and could upset India or England in the World Cup semis.

Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr are world-class all-rounders, skipper Sophie Devine appears to be winning her fitness battle after a foot injury, and New Zealand may be less intimidated by Australia than most teams, having won two of their last four T20 meetings.

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