Aussies qualify for 2022 Commonwealth Games

Australia's world champion women's team have qualified for next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where women's cricket will be played at the event for the first time.

Meg Lanning's side has earned a path to the Games in 2022 thanks to its No.1 ICC T20 ranking, while hosts England and the five other top ranked nations – India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies – have also earned direct qualification for the eight-team event.

Given athletes from the Caribbean represent their individual countries at the Commonwealth Games, a qualifying tournament for those nations will decide which team will take the West Indies' spot in the event.

The final place in the tournament will be allocated to the winner of a qualifier event in January.

The Commonwealth Games Federation announced in August 2019 that an eight-team T20 tournament for women will be held at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, which will run from July 28 to August 8.

All games will be played at Edgbaston and the ICC announced earlier this month that matches will hold full T20 International status.

Cricket has featured just once before at the quadrennial event, with a men's 50-over tournament played as part of the Kuala Lumpur Games in 1998.

A near full-strength Australian side, captained by Steve Waugh and featuring the likes of Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Bevan, took home the silver medal after losing the final to South Africa, who were captained by Shaun Pollock.

Jamaica, Barbados and Antigua & Barbuda all competed as separate nations, meaning regular West Indies teammates like Curtly Ambrose, Jimmy Adams and Sherwin Campbell played for different teams.

The 2022 Games will cap off a crucial nine-month period for the Australian side, which will also feature a home Ashes series and the one-day World Cup in New Zealand early next year.

"Representing Australia at the Commonwealth Games will be an incredible experience and the team can't wait to take the field in Birmingham next year," Lanning said in a statement.

"It was already shaping up as a huge year with a home Ashes and a World Cup in New Zealand, and a Commonwealth Games takes it to another level.

"The ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2020 showed the world just how entertaining and competitive women's 20-over cricket is and the Commonwealth Games will be another opportunity for teams to showcase their talent and determination in front of a global audience."