T20 Spring Challenge
 | |
| Countries | Australia |
|---|---|
| Administrator | Cricket Australia |
| Format | Twenty20 |
| First edition | 2024 |
| Latest edition | 2025 |
| Next edition | 2027 |
| Tournament format | 4 matches per side, then knockout finals |
| Number of teams | 9 |
| Current champion | Sydney Sixers |
| Most successful | Hobart Hurricanes (2 titles) |
| Most runs | Madeline Penna (604) |
| Most wickets | Sarah Coyte (20) |
| TV | |
| Website | www |
 2026 T20 Spring Challenge | |
The T20 Spring Challenge is an Australian domestic women's Twenty20 cricket competition. Organised by Cricket Australia, the first edition of the tournament took place in 2024.
The competition features the eight Women's Big Bash League teams and the ACT Meteors. It runs before the Women's Big Bash League and acts as a warm up for the BBL. Hobart Hurricanes won the first two editions of the competition.
History
The T20 Spring Challenge was introduced by Cricket Australia in 2024 as a domestic Women's Twenty20 Cricket competition. The tournament was established to maintain opportunities for domestic players after the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) season was shortened from 14 matches to 10 matches per team. It also provided a competitive preparation tournament ahead of the WBBL season. The competition features the eight WBBL teams and the ACT Meteors.
The nine teams play four matches each, with the four teams finishing with the most points entering the knockout-stage of the competition. The first season of the league took place from 11 October to 20 October 2024, and featured 21 matches, all held in Sydney and Adelaide. Hobart Hurricanes and Brisbane Heat finished top of the group stage and advanced to the final, Brisbane defeating Adelaide Strikers by 38 runs and Hobart advancing after their match against Melbourne Stars was cut short due to rain – Hobart advancing having finished higher during the group stage. Hobart won the final by five wickets.
The second season took place in October 2025 with all matches held in Sydney. Hobart and Brisbane Heat once again finished top of the group stage and advanced to the final after both semi-final matches were abandoned due to rain. Hobart Hurricanes won the final by 88 runs.
The third season took take place in October 2026. In the final, Sydney Sixers defeated Perth Scorchers by 15 runs to win their first title.
Teams
| Team | Location | Titles won |
|---|---|---|
| ACT Meteors | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | – |
| Adelaide Strikers | North Adelaide, South Australia | – |
| Brisbane Heat | Albion, Queensland | – |
| Hobart Hurricanes | Bellerive, Tasmania | 2 (2024, 2025) |
| Melbourne Renegades | St Kilda, Victoria | – |
| Melbourne Stars | St Kilda, Victoria | – |
| Perth Scorchers | East Perth, Western Australia | – |
| Sydney Sixers | Moore Park, New South Wales | 1 (2026) |
| Sydney Thunder | Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales | – |
Tournament results
| Season | Final | Venue | Player of the Season | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Result | Runners up | |||
| 2024 | Hobart Hurricanes | Hobart Hurricanes won by 5 wickets Scorecard |
Brisbane Heat | Cricket Central, Sydney | Tahlia Wilson (Sydney Thunder) |
| 2025 | Hobart Hurricanes | Hobart Hurricanes won by 88 runs Scorecard |
Brisbane Heat | Cricket Central, Sydney | Maitlan Brown (Sydney Sixers) Madeline Penna (Adelaide Strikers) |
| 2026 | Sydney Sixers | Sydney Sixers won by 15 runs Scorecard |
Perth Scorchers | Cricket Central, Sydney | Madeline Penna (Adelaide Strikers) |
Broadcasting
In July 2024, Fox Sports, announced it had acquired the global media rights for TV and digital broadcasts for the tournament. The initial season was broadcast in Australia on the Fox Sports TV channel and the Kayo Sports app.
Notes
- ↑ Administrative and training base
References
- 1 2 "Schedule locked in for new T20 Challenge, 2024–25 WNCL". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ↑ "ACT to join WBBL teams in new women's T20 comp". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ↑ "Everything you need to know about the T20 Spring Challenge". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ↑ "All You Need to Know about the Inaugural Women's T20 Spring Challenge". female cricket. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ↑ "T20 Spring Challenge confirmed for 2026". Melbourne Renegades. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
- ↑ "Hurricanes win Spring Challenge in final ball thriller". cricket.com.au. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ↑ "All you need to know: T20 Spring Challenge 2025". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ↑ "Opportunity abounds for Aussie hopefuls in 2025-26 domestic summer". Cricket Australia. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
- ↑ "Hurricanes claim back-to-back Spring Challenge titles". Cricinfo. Retrieved 17 October 2026.
- ↑ "Women's domestic schedule released for 2026-27 summer of cricket". Cricket Australia. 15 July 2026. Retrieved 31 August 2026.
- ↑ "Burns leads the way as Sixers secure first Spring Challenge title". Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 October 2026.
- ↑ "Sixers Crowned 2026 T20 Spring Challenge Champions". Sydney Sixers. Retrieved 21 October 2026.