DUBAI, 23 JULY (DNA) – With exactly a year to go to the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, the International Cricket Council on Saturday released the event logo which reflects the unique connection between the spirit of the sport and its place of origin in England and Wales.

The 11th edition of the tournament, which was launched before the men’s event in 1973 in England, will get underway on 26 June 2017 and culminate with the final at Lord’s on 23 July 2017.

Eight sides will go head to head in a total of 31 matches including two semi-finals and the final. The games will be hosted in Bristol, Derby, Leicester and Taunton with the final at Lord’s in what is expected to be the best-attended event to date.

The event logo is an inspirational link to the distinctive outline of England and Wales, and the form of a cricketer playing a bold forward stroke. It emphasises the dynamic essence of the game and its special relationship to the host nation – over and above the gender of the players.

Commenting on the logo, ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “With the ICC Women’s World Cup taking place in the sport’s spiritual home of England and Wales, it can’t get any bigger than this for women’s cricket. And this is nicely encapsulated in the logo, which reflects a celebration of women’s cricket in the host country colours.

“The next 12 months will be exciting for women’s cricket as the top nations aim for the ultimate prize in women’s cricket. The sport is on a high and I am sure next year’s event will take it to even greater heights with outstanding cricket and record breaking attendances.”

Clare Connor, who played in three World Cups for England from 1997-2005 and is now the Chair of the ICC Women’s Committee, commented: “With exactly one year to go until the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, it is a great time to reflect on the huge progress that has been made in the women’s game during this World Cup cycle.

“Over these past few years, we have seen an increase in the number of professional female cricketers around the world with the introduction of player contracts. We have seen significant global growth in TV audiences and commercial interest for the women’s game and, critical for the sustainability of our sport, we have seen increased female participation around the world.

“Most notably, these few years have seen the introduction of the ICC Women’s Championship – a programme of bilateral cricket for the top eight women’s teams providing a clear and meritocratic qualification pathway for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017. During this Championship, we have witnessed the standard and profile of the women’s game continues to grow and, consequently, I am confident that the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 will be the best there’s been – for our players, our existing supporters and new fans.”

Steve Elworthy, ECB’s Director of Global Events and Managing Director – ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, remarked: “The summer of 2017 is an exciting one for cricket with two ICC Global Events in England and Wales. The competitiveness across the women’s game has increased and we too will be raising the bar in delivery, ensuring this will be the biggest and best ICC Women’s World Cup to date.

“We know Bristol, Derby, Leicester and Taunton will be exceptional hosts for the group stages and semi-finals, and our expectation is also that the final at Lord’s will attract high interest and demand for tickets.”

England women’s captain, Heather Knight, said: “It is every cricketer’s dream to captain in a World Cup on home soil, and I am sure that it will be a very proud moment for me to lead the girls out in England next summer.

“The ICC Women’s World Cup is the pinnacle of our sport – it is the blue riband event that everyone wants to win, and I know that all the players in the England squad will relish the challenge. It is also a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the women’s game in front of what I sure will be a passionate home crowd, and inspire the next generation of cricketers.”

The top four sides from the ICC Women’s Championships will automatically qualify for the World Cup. Currently with five of seven rounds completed, Australia, West Indies, England and New Zealand are occupying the top four positions. The four sides in the second half of the table are South Africa, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The penultimate round will be played in September/October and the inaugural event will conclude in November. The bottom four sides will have a second chance to qualify when they will feature in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, which will be staged in the first quarter of next year.

In addition to the four bottom sides of the ICC Women’s Championship, the qualifying tournament will feature Bangladesh, Ireland, Zimbabwe (Africa region qualifier), Scotland (Europe region qualifier) and Papua New Guinea (East-Asia Pacific region qualifier). The 10th side will emerge from the Asia region qualifier, which will take place in Hong Kong from 7-17 October. =DNA