In what represents a boost to women’s cricket, the competition will take place six months before the men’s equivalent.

All five previous editions of the women’s World Twenty20 event have been held alongside the men’s tournament, with semi-finals and finals of the two competitions played on the same day in a double-header format.

The decision was rubber-stamped at an International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meeting in Cape Town.

It means the women’s World Twenty20 will be a standalone competition for the second edition in a row as the event in 2018, due to be hosted by the West Indies, will also be staged separately to the men’s.

In a statement, the ICC said it considers the move as a “a big step forward for the women’s game”, while pointing to the success of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) - the main domestic competition in the format in Australia - as one of the reasons why Cricket Australia’s plan was given the green light.

“Women’s cricket is undoubtedly gaining in popularity around the globe and we felt that by separating the two events we could accelerate that growth,” ICC Governance Committee and Cricket Australia President David Peever said.

“Having the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 as a stand-alone event means we can hold it in stadiums that we can fill, put on TV at prime-time and ensure it has the space to be promoted away from the shadow of the men’s game.

“WBBL has taught us that there is an audience for women’s cricket both live and on prime-time television and this decision means we have the opportunity to hold the biggest women’s sporting event ever held in Australia.”

Australia have won the World Twenty20 competition three times - in 2010, 2012 and 2014 - but lost to the West Indies in the final in India earlier this year.

During the meeting, the ICC also urged suspended member the USA Cricket Association (USACA) to adopt a new governance structure and underlying constitution by December 15 as their bid for reinstatement continues.

The USACA was exiled from world cricket in June last year after an ICC-commissioned review group expressed "significant concerns about the governance, finance, reputation and cricketing activities of USACA”.

“Our decision has been taken in the interest of all of cricket in the USA for the good of the game,” ICC chairman Shashank Manohar said.

“We have heard the views of all stakeholders and believe this is a good governance structure capable of bringing the sport together and we would now encourage USACA to adopt it as part of the fulfilment of its reinstatement conditions.”