Sky Sports to broadcast 12 Kia Super League matches in 2018 in huge year of women's sport

Sky Sports will show 12 matches from the Kia Super League this summer as part of a huge line-up of women's sport in 2018.

By Sky Sports Cricket

Image: Western Storm won the 2017 Kia Super League - they kick off Sky Sports' expanded 2018 coverage in July

Sky Sports will show 12 matches from the Kia Super League this summer as part of a huge line-up of women's sport in 2018.

Sky Sports' KSL coverage - which kicks off on Sunday, July 22, at 2pm with defending champions Western Storm against Yorkshire Diamonds, and concludes with Finals Day at Hove on Monday, August 27 - will see almost double the amount of games broadcast from the 2017 competition.

Live Kia Super League Cricket

The matches come in the wake of Sky Sports' live coverage of England Women's ODI series against New Zealand and South Africa, as well as a T20 tri-series featuring all three sides.

Viewing figures for women's sport reached a record high for Sky Sports in 2017, which saw more people tune in to watch women's cricket, netball, rugby and golf than ever before.

Viewing was up 23 per cent, with the Women's Cricket World Cup final at Lord's - in which England defeated India by nine runs - being Sky's most-watched women's sporting event ever, with a peak audience of over 1.1m viewers.

Image: Anya Shrubsole is mobbed by her team-mates after bowling England to World Cup victory at Lord's

Bryan Henderson, Head of Sky Sports Cricket, said: "Last year felt like a watershed moment for women's sport, with my undoubted highlight being the moment England's women clinched the World Cup at Lord's.

"At Sky Sports, we're proud of the contribution we've made to growing women's sport, and we're determined to continue that in 2018. We have an incredible line-up, across a range of sports, with cricket a huge part of the schedule again. We can't wait to get started."

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Clare Connor, ECB Director of England Women's Cricket, said "We are proud to continue working with Sky as we strive to raise the profile of women's cricket off the back of an amazing 12 months, culminating in that unforgettable day at Lord's.

"With two home international series on Sky this summer along with standalone Kia Super League games being broadcast for the first time, we are seeing the game continue to go from strength to strength."

Image: Western Storm beat Southern Vipers in last year's Kia Super League final

Live women's cricket fixtures on Sky:

KIA SUPER LEAGUE

Sunday, July 22

Western Storm v Yorkshire Diamonds (Taunton)

Wednesday, July 25

Southern Vipers v Loughborough Lightning (Ageas Bowl)

Friday, July 27

Yorkshire Diamonds v Lancashire Thunder (Headingley)

Sunday, July 29

Western Storm v Loughborough Lightning (Taunton)

Tuesday, July 31

Surrey Stars v Lancashire Thunder (Oval)

Tuesday, August 7

Lancashire Thunder v Surrey Stars (Old Trafford)

Wednesday, August 8

Southern Vipers v Yorkshire Diamonds (Ageas Bowl)

Tuesday, August 14

Southern Vipers v Surrey Stars (Hove)

Wednesday, August 15

Loughborough Lightning v Western Storm (Edgbaston)

Saturday, August 18

TBC

Monday, August 27

Kia Super League Finals Day (Hove)