Cricket has become the first sport to confirm its complete line-up for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Tuesday (January 1).

The announcement was made jointly by the ICC and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) following Sri Lanka's victory in the Women's T20 Commonwealth Games Qualifier 2022 in Kuala Lumpur last week.

 The line-up of eight teams also comprises Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa as women's cricket makes its maiden entry into the Commonwealth Games.

It will only be the second time that cricket features in the Commonwealth Games after a men's competition was part of the event in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. The Shaun Pollock-led South African side had won gold on that occasion, beating Australia by four wickets in the final.

It's set to be a league-cum-knockout affair at the Games, with Australia and India, the finalists of the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup, set to clash in the opener on 29 July. The medal matches are scheduled to be played on 7 August.

The league-cum-knockout tournament is set to kick-off on July 29 with a clash between Australia and India, the finalists of the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup. The medal matches are scheduled to be played on August 7.

Barbados and Pakistan are slotted Group A alongside Australia and India while England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka feature in Group B.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: "It's good to have finalised the identity of the teams participating in the Commonwealth Games. We will have eight of the best teams competing for the gold and I am sure we will get to watch a highly competitive tournament.

"The Commonwealth Games are an important part of the women's cricket calendar over the next year. It is a huge opportunity for us to take cricket beyond the traditional strongholds and give more people around the world the chance to enjoy the game."

CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: "Cricket is a sport synonymous with the Commonwealth. We are so excited to have it back in the Games for the first time since the men's 50 over competition at Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

"The debut of women's T20 cricket will be a historic moment and a wonderful showcase of women's sport across the world."