After I came to the US in 1983 and before the internet became available to keep up with events worldwide, I lost touch with cricket news. One of the things that happened in the interim is that it has become increasingly popular with women and now there are women’s teams that compete internationally.

I reported recently on the men’s World Cup Twenty20 that was held in 2012 in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in which West Indies defeated Sri Lanka in the final. (Thanks to Ravi for the correction.)

It turns out that right now, the women’s World Cup is being played in India. Eight countries took part and after the first round of group matches, India and Pakistan were eliminated.

The Sri Lankan women’s team had never even won a single game in previous World Cups but this time they beat the powerful England team in an exciting match in which the scores were tied right up until the last ball, and the Sri Lankan player hit a six for a spectacular victory.

Alas, in the next round Sri Lanka and South Africa were eliminated, winning just one game each, leaving the West Indies, Australia, England, and New Zealand to play in the final rounds. England will play New Zealand on Friday to determine third place and West Indies will play Australia on Sunday to determine the champions.

If the West Indies should win, they will have the distinction of being simultaneously the men’s and women’s cricket champions in the two competitions. It will be a real boost to the fortunes of a country that used to be a cricket powerhouse a couple of decades ago but has recently been in a deep slump.