# 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup
The 2017 [Women's Cricket World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/womens-cricket-world-cup) was the 11th edition of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, a One-Day International tournament staged in [England and Wales](https://www.edgepedia.org/england-and-wales) from 24 June to 23 July 2017, won by England, who beat India in the final at Lord's.[1](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/about-the-icc-womens-world-cup-2017) • [2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) The competition, first held in England in 1973 and two years older than the men's event, returned to its original home for a tournament that broke the event's records for attendance, broadcast reach, and digital following.[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40329176) • [4](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/carrying-on-the-momentum-of-wwc17)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates and host | England and Wales, 24 June to 23 July 2017[1](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/about-the-icc-womens-world-cup-2017) |
| Teams and format | Eight teams in a single round-robin league, top four to the semi-finals[1](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/about-the-icc-womens-world-cup-2017) • [2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) |
| Final | England beat India at Lord's on 23 July; Anya Shrubsole took 6/46, the best figures in a women's World Cup final[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) |
| Leading players | Tammy Beaumont, Player of the Tournament, 410 runs in 9 matches; Dane van Niekerk, 15 wickets in 7 matches[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) |
| Prize fund | $2m (£1.57m), a tenfold increase on the previous edition[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40329176) |
| Coverage | All 31 matches available live: 10 televised, with the Decision Review System debuting in women's cricket, and 21 live-streamed; broadcast to 189 territories[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40329176) • [5](https://www.nzc.nz/media/17297/cwc22-leverage-and-legacy-plan-final-draft.pdf) |
| Audience | An estimated close to 180 million viewers; the final drew a 26,500 crowd at Lord's, the largest ever for a women's final[6](https://time.com/5585450/cricket-hong-kong-scc-divas-filipino-filipina-philippines-team/) |
## Format and venues
The eight participants were defending champion Australia, host England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the [West Indies](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-indies). Each side played the other once in a round-robin league, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals, scheduled for Bristol on 18 July and Derby on 20 July, and the final at Lord's on 23 July.[1](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/about-the-icc-womens-world-cup-2017) Group-stage venues also included Taunton and [Leicester](https://www.edgepedia.org/leicester).[7](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39199801)
Four places had been decided directly through the inaugural ICC Women's Championship, a multi-year league among the top eight sides that gave the tournament added competitive context.[8](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/j8mrqb84nmoxu27gy3cv.pdf) The tournament used existing venues rather than new construction; host venues were required to meet international cricket standards and to present a plan for growing cricket engagement and wider community benefit.[9](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measuring-the-legacy-and-impact-of-major-events-case-studies/measuring-the-legacy-impact-of-major-events-case-studies)
## The tournament
England topped the group table, level on points with Australia, both teams having lost one fixture each in seven matches; India and South Africa joined them in the semi-finals.[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) India's campaign began with four wins from four games, including a defeat of host England in the opening fixture.[10](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/wwc17-report-card-india)
**The semi-finals.** India shocked Australia in the first semi-final, built on [Harmanpreet Kaur](https://www.edgepedia.org/harmanpreet-kaur)'s 171 not out off 115 balls, the fifth-highest score in any women's World Cup match and the highest individual score by an Indian in the tournament's history.[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) England beat South Africa in the other semi-final, a close match settled with just two balls remaining.[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history)
**The final.** India, chasing England's 229-run target, reached 191 for 3 in the 43rd over before a collapse triggered by Anya Shrubsole, who returned 6 for 46, gave England victory in front of a near full house at Lord's.[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) The final sold out, with more than 26,500 expected at the ground, a figure reported as the largest crowd ever for a women's final.[11](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/progression-perfect-the-outro-on-its-way) • [6](https://time.com/5585450/cricket-hong-kong-scc-divas-filipino-filipina-philippines-team/)
## Records and individual performances
Tammy Beaumont of England was named Player of the [Tournament](https://www.edgepedia.org/tournament) and finished as the leading run-scorer with 410 runs in 9 matches; Nat Sciver struck two centuries, and left-arm spinner Alex Hartley took key wickets including Harmanpreet Kaur in the final.[12](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/wwc17-report-card-england) • [2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) South Africa's Dane van Niekerk led the bowling with 15 wickets in 7 matches and became the first bowler in international cricket, men's or women's, to take four wickets without conceding a run.[2](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history) • [13](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/history-made-in-record-breaking-icc-womens-world-cup) Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu hit the tournament's highest individual score, 178 not out.[13](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/history-made-in-record-breaking-icc-womens-world-cup) During the tournament India's captain [Mithali Raj](https://www.edgepedia.org/mithali-raj) became the top run-getter in women's One-Day Internationals.[14](https://documents.bcci.tv/bcci/documents/1638362483_BCCI%20Annual%20Report%202016-17.pdf)
## Coverage and commercial context
The prize fund rose tenfold to $2m (£1.57m), and every game was available to watch live for the first time in the tournament's 44-year history: 10 matches were televised, featuring the Decision Review System's debut in women's cricket, and the remaining 21 were live-streamed on the ICC website.[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40329176) • [4](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/carrying-on-the-momentum-of-wwc17) The event was broadcast to 189 territories.[5](https://www.nzc.nz/media/17297/cwc22-leverage-and-legacy-plan-final-draft.pdf) One estimate puts total viewership at close to 180 million people.[6](https://time.com/5585450/cricket-hong-kong-scc-divas-filipino-filipina-philippines-team/) Commentator Alison Mitchell described the Lord's crowd as younger, less corporate, and more vibrant than a typical international occasion, with many attending or bringing children to cricket for the first time.[4](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/carrying-on-the-momentum-of-wwc17)
## Legacy
New Zealand Cricket's planning for the 2021 edition stated that the 2017 event "raised the bar significantly" for the pinnacle event in women's cricket.[15](https://www.nzc.nz/media/15575/women-girls-and-cricket_strategic-framework-updated-draft-11-feb-2019.pdf)
Measured participation effects were more limited. In 2015/16, the year before the tournament, 2.9% of adults in England participated in cricket at least once during the year. A UK government-commissioned evaluation found some statistically significant participation increases in specific population segments, but concluded that national-level data provided no conclusive evidence of meaningful changes in adult participation attributable exclusively to hosting the Women's and Men's Cricket World Cups in England.[9](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measuring-the-legacy-and-impact-of-major-events-case-studies/measuring-the-legacy-impact-of-major-events-case-studies) On the field, Australia's dominance followed soon after: since the 2017 tournament Australia won 40 of their 42 One-Day Internationals through the 2022 edition, taking a seventh title.[16](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/bisel0ksrxtscf16t2wu.pdf)
## References
1. [About the ICC Women's World Cup 2017, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/about-the-icc-womens-world-cup-2017)
2. [ICC Women's World Cup History, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/icc-womens-world-cup-history)
3. [Women's World Cup 2017: Tournament guide and players to watch, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40329176)
4. [Carrying on the momentum of WWC17, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/carrying-on-the-momentum-of-wwc17)
5. [CWC22 Leverage and Legacy Plan, New Zealand Cricket](https://www.nzc.nz/media/17297/cwc22-leverage-and-legacy-plan-final-draft.pdf)
6. [How Cricket Has Become More Than Just a Game For Hong Kong's Filipina Domestic Helpers, TIME](https://time.com/5585450/cricket-hong-kong-scc-divas-filipino-filipina-philippines-team/)
7. [ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Hosts England face India in opener, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39199801)
8. [ICC Women's Championship, ICC](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/j8mrqb84nmoxu27gy3cv.pdf)
9. [Measuring the legacy & impact of major events: case studies, GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measuring-the-legacy-and-impact-of-major-events-case-studies/measuring-the-legacy-impact-of-major-events-case-studies)
10. [WWC17 Report Card: India, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/wwc17-report-card-india)
11. [Progression perfect, the outro on its way, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/progression-perfect-the-outro-on-its-way)
12. [WWC17 Report Card: England, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/wwc17-report-card-england)
13. [History made in record-breaking ICC Women's World Cup, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/history-made-in-record-breaking-icc-womens-world-cup)
14. [BCCI Annual Report 2016-17](https://documents.bcci.tv/bcci/documents/1638362483_BCCI%20Annual%20Report%202016-17.pdf)
15. [Women & Girls and Cricket strategic framework, New Zealand Cricket](https://www.nzc.nz/media/15575/women-girls-and-cricket_strategic-framework-updated-draft-11-feb-2019.pdf)
16. [ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022, ICC](https://images.icc-cricket.com/image/upload/prd/bisel0ksrxtscf16t2wu.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Cricket › Cricket competitions and records › Competitions and recurring events › Women's Cricket World Cup*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license