ICC Announces Sponsors for ICC Women's World T20 2018

Georgetown, Guyana, November 8, 2018: The ICC Women’s World T20 2018 continues to break records before a ball has been bowled, with six commercial partners announced by the ICC for the first standalone edition of the event. The partnerships, focused solely on the women’s game, are a clear signal of the increasing importance of the women’s cricket in the commercial landscape.

Republic Bank, Carib Brewery and Kentucky Fried Chicken have partnered with the event which gets underway on 9 November, along with the tourism wings of the three countries hosting the event – Antigua Tourism Authority, Guyana Tourism Authority and St Lucia Tourism Authority.

The 10-team tournament, which will see the Windies defend their title at home, will capture the special flavour of the region including music and entertainment, and is expected build on the success of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 in England and Wales.

ICC General Manager – Commercial, Campbell Jamieson: “We are delighted to partner with these household names for this event. It is a sign of the growing strength of women’s cricket that we are seeing commercial partners invest in the game.

“We’re looking forward to some high quality cricket which, combined with commercial investment can help us accelerate the growth of the women’s game and take it to as wide as possible an audience globally.”

Derwin M Howell, Executive Director, Republic Bank: “An event like the ICC Women’s World T20 plays an overwhelmingly positive role in promoting the talent and capabilities of women and is critical to closing the gender gap in sport. It showcases women at the top of their game and provides inspiration for young girls and young women the world over. The Republic Group has always been strong in our support of female athletes and we continue to advocate for women’s empowerment and gender equality not just in sport, but in all areas.”

Antron Forte, Marketing Manager, Carib Brewery – “Carib Beer is excited to be a sponsor of the ICC Women's World T20. This tournament showcases world class women's cricket from across the globe and we are thrilled to see these games being played right here in the Caribbean. Carib's Brand Purpose serves to unleash Caribbean fun into your world, and with this partnership we will see the passion, energy and excitement of Caribbean come together in one with the official Beer of the Caribbean!”

Paul Subryan, General Manager, KFC, Guyana- “KFC Guyana is proud to partner with the ICC Women’s World T20 tournament for what is anticipated to be yet another exhilarating exhibition of women’s cricket. The last ICC Women's World T20 brought tremendous excitement for fans all around the world and we are delighted that the World T20 this year promises to be even more exciting, given that it is hosted in the West Indies."

Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism and Investment, The Honourable Charles Fernandez: “Antigua and Barbuda is famed for our rich cricketing traditions. We embrace the game of cricket as a tool for bringing people from all walks of life and all cultures together. It is because of this that we are honoured to be the Official Tourism Partner, for the historic ICC Women’s World T20 games. These are exciting times and we look forward to ensuring the world’s top women cricketers and all our visitors have an amazing experience in Antigua. We remain committed to investing in the future development of women’s cricket, and we hope that this event will inspire women everywhere to increase their involvement in sport.”

Guyana Tourism Authority and the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport: “Cricket is a big part of the Guyanese culture and plays an important role in shaping and inspiring the paths of many young individuals and women around the world. Guyana is proud to be a part of the ICC Women’s World T20, Government of Guyana commends all the players for following their passion and inspiring others around them every day.'

St Lucia Tourism Authority Chief Executive Tiffany Howard: “The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority is thrilled to be partnering with the ICC for the first ever stand-alone Women’s World T20 in Saint Lucia. We welcome the teams, players, media, and fans who will visit our fantastic destination over the 2 weeks of the tournament and we encourage everyone to take time out to visit some of our wonderful sites and attractions during your stay.”

ABOUT THE ICC WOMEN’S WORLD TWENTY20 2018

• This is the sixth edition of the ICC Women’s World T20 tournament and the second time it is being held in the West Indies.
• This is the first standalone Women’s World T20 after the previous five editions were held along with the ICC Men’s World T20.
• All 23 matches will be broadcast live, with the Decision Review System being used in an ICC World T20 for the first time.
• Australia have won the tournament three times while England and defending champions the Windies have won it once each.
• The Windies are placed in Group A along with England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland are in Group B.