Commonwealth Games 2022: Six more teams qualify for T20 event

Five-time T20 World Cup winners Australia will be one of eight sides at the inaugural women's T20 event at the Commonwealth Games in 2022

Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa have qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

A country from the West Indies will also compete in the women's Twenty20 tournament alongside England, who qualify automatically as hosts.

The teams were decided by the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings. The eighth and final place will go to the winner of a qualifier.

The Games are due to begin on 26 July and will be broadcast live on the BBC.

A West Indies team cannot enter the Games as athletes from the Caribbean region will be representing their individual nations.

Cricket is the first sports discipline at the Games to announce its qualifying teams.

"We are incredibly proud and excited to be part of Birmingham 2022 and it is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women's game globally," said ICC acting chief executive Geoff Allardice.

England captain Heather Knight added: "It's going to be a fantastic competition, a real chance to showcase the women's game to a huge audience and it's one we're thrilled to be taking part in."

The event will be only the second time cricket has featured at the Games, after a men's 50-over competition - won by South Africa - was included at Kuala Lumpur in 1998.