Cricket / Women's T20 World Cup
Win for West Indies as World Cup cricket returns to Bristol
The hot sun hung high over the County Ground on Sunday morning as supporters streamed through the gates for Bristol’s opening day as a host venue at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Long before a ball was bowled between Sri Lanka and the West Indies, there was a sense that Bristol was witnessing something significant.
Families arrived in national colours, children carried miniature bats in search of autographs and flags flickered in the heat as the ground – back to its original name today rather than the Seat Unique Stadium – slowly became a stage for international cricket.
The air carried the scents of churros, doughnuts and burgers through the summer heat, adding to the festival feel.
As the start of play approached, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations softened, seats filled, flags were adjusted.
Team lineups were read out before the players emerged for the two national anthems, and the stadium in Ashley Down became a mosaic of colour and standing bodies.
Coloured smoke drifted across the outfield as both sets of supporters rose to their feet, voices lifted in unison, the sound rolling across the stands like a wave.
West Indies took to the field to bowl first and every wicket triggered a surge of noise as their vocal supporters rose in unison, flags not just of the West Indies but of some of their constituent countries including Barbados raised higher into the air as Sri Lanka’s innings struggled to settle.
Each breakthrough lifted the volume around the ground and as wickets continued to fall, the West Indies supporters grew even louder; with Sri Lanka eventually bowled out for a below-par 98 in 19.4 overs.
Bedminster Cricket Club under-11 player Lois with World Cup mascots Blaze and Tonk – photo: Martin Booth
In reply, the West Indies team led by mercurial captain Hayley Matthews fell to 70-5 in their run chase but eventually reached 99-5 in 16.1 overs – with Stafanie Taylor top-scoring with 27 not out and 23 extras conceded by Sri Lanka including an unforgiveable 13 wides.
Long after the final ball was bowled, the County Ground remained suspended in colour and heat – flags still visible in the stands, supporters lingering in the summer air, and Bristol transformed for the first time this summer into a Women’s T20 World Cup city alive with sound, movement and light.
Five World Cup games remain in Bristol at the home of Gloucestershire Cricket: New Zealand vs Scotland and Sri Lanka vs Ireland (Tuesday), South Africa vs Netherlands (Thursday), and Pakistan vs Netherlands and West Indies vs Ireland (Saturday).
Main photo: Martin Booth
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