Nat Sciver-Brunt, England’s skipper, envisions the 10th edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, from June 12 to July 5, 2026, across England and Wales, as an explosive catalyst for women’s cricket in the UK.
Hosting the tournament at home, just like their triumphant 2017 ODI World Cup, Sciver-Brunt hopes a deep run, culminating potentially with a trophy lift at Lord’s, will build on that legacy and draw the nation into the sport like never before.
Sciver-Brunt played a starring role in England’s 2017 ODI World Cup victory, led by then-skipper Heather Knight, where they edged India, captained by Mithali Raj, by 9 runs in the final at Lord’s. Her innovative ‘Natmeg’ shot during that campaign captivated global fans. Fast forward to recent history: England, still under Knight, finished runners-up in the 2022 ODI World Cup with a 71-run final loss to Australia at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
In 2025, Sciver-Brunt took the helm, but they bowed out in the first semi-final, suffering a 125-run defeat to South Africa, led by Laura Wolvaardt, at Guwahati. In the previous 9th edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, England were knocked out in the league stages of the tournament in 2024.
As England announced their T20 World Cup squad, spotlighting exciting inclusions like Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Freya Kemp, Issy Wong, and Lauren Filer. This bolsters a team gearing up for a white-ball series against New Zealand, captained by Amelia Kerr, from May 10 to 25, 2026, a three-match ODI followed by three T20Is.
“Some of the girls who watched 2017 from the crowd are now in the team, which is pretty special,” Sciver-Brunt told the Press Association. “Hopefully, we can recreate that. In my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t be able to imagine the feeling of lifting that trophy above my head at Lord’s, but I’ll (try to) dream about it and imagine it.”
The landscape of women’s cricket has transformed since 2017, with professional domestic structures and The Hundred drawing new audiences. Sciver-Brunt believes the World Cup can elevate it further. “Cricket is in a place where it can just explode in England, and hopefully the T20 World Cup can do that for us,” she said. “Drumming up that support from the general public is so important, and we’re really trying to carry everyone along on our journey. I’m excited to see what happens.”
Her own preparation reflects smart management. Core players, including Sciver-Brunt, focused on intra-squad camps to ease workloads. She returned for The Blaze in the county season against Essex on Saturday, her first outing since scoring the first century in Women’s Premier League (WPL) history in January, scoring 321 runs at a strike rate of 151.41 and an average of 64.20 in seven innings, including three half-centuries and a century in 7 matches with the bat for the Mumbai Indians. But fell for a golden duck, for the Blaze.
“I’ve had a bit of a disjointed build-up into the summer, so I wasn’t quite ready for that first 50-over game in terms of my body being ready,” she admitted. “But I feel good, feel fresh and raring to go. I didn’t have the best one the other day in Chelmsford, but it’s the start of the season, and I’m confident I can turn it around.”
Marking her first year as captain on Wednesday, succeeding Knight after nine years stint in the role, Sciver-Brunt shared insights at a Chance to Shine event in Manchester, partnering with RBC Wealth Management for a leadership and cricket session with secondary school girls.
“I’m a leader myself, and I’m trying to help the girls be a little bit more comfortable in what they’re doing and think about things in different ways,” she reflected. “Leadership for me is a bit of a learning curve anyway, and I don’t want to stop learning about how to get the best out of people and myself for everybody else.” Through initiatives like this, Sciver-Brunt not only eyes World Cup success but also aims to inspire the next generation.
(Quotes sourced from PA)
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