Jokes aside, there's an unusual sense of calm around the venues.If you're expecting fanfare and hoopla around the stadiums as a marker of the buzz around the Women's T20 World Cup, you may need to temper your expectations.

Defending champions Australia will begin the Women's T20 World Cup as favourites in the UAE, but the competition will be fierce, with India looking to match their male counterparts and bring home the trophy.

The Women's T20 World Cup gets underway on Thursday. The International Cricket Council is hopeful of another stellar outing for the globe’s top female cricketers following the success of the 2023 edition in South Africa.