England’s road to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 has carried both expectation and opportunity. The last time England hosted a women’s World Cup, they lifted the ODI trophy at Lord’s in 2017, and now, with another global tournament returning home, they are once again entering as one of the favourites. Having secured direct qualification through their performance at the previous Women’s T20 World Cup, England were able to spend the entire cycle preparing specifically for home conditions and fine-tuning their combinations ahead of the tournament.
Their build-up began strongly during the tour of South Africa in November 2024, where England completed a dominant 3-0 T20I series sweep. The opening game in East London was competitive, but England chased down 143 with four balls remaining to win by four wickets. They followed it with a commanding performance in Benoni, posting 204/4 before restricting South Africa to 168/6 for a 36-run victory.
England then completed the clean sweep in Centurion after bowling South Africa out for just 124 and chasing the target in only 11.3 overs. Danni Wyatt-Hodge led the batting charts with 142 runs at an average of 71.00, while Nat Sciver-Brunt scored 126 runs in only two innings. Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn controlled the bowling attack effectively, combining for 11 wickets across the series and underlining England’s strength in spin bowling.
However, England’s momentum suffered a setback during the Women’s Ashes in Australia in January 2025. Australia swept the T20I leg 3-0 and exposed England’s inconsistency against elite opposition. England conceded 198/7 in Sydney before being bowled out for 141 in a 57-run defeat. The second match in Canberra was closer, but England still fell six runs short through the DLS method despite reaching 168/4. Australia then completed the sweep in Adelaide after bowling England out for just 90 while defending 162/5.
England recovered quickly during the home series against West Indies in May 2025, where they completed another 3-0 sweep. They chased down 147 comfortably in Canterbury before producing one of their most dominant bowling performances in Hove, restricting West Indies to only 81/9 and finishing the chase in just 9.2 overs. England then sealed the series in Chelmsford with a 17-run victory after posting 144/5.
The series also brought several positives ahead of the World Cup. Lauren Bell emerged as England’s lead pace threat with seven wickets at an average of 9.71, while Em Arlott impressed with six wickets in three matches. Sophia Dunkley continued her strong form with 108 runs at an average of 108.00, while Heather Knight added stability through the middle order.
Another setback came against India in June and July 2025. The five-match series was viewed as a potential preview of the tournament itself, but England ended up losing 3-2 despite recovering late in the series. India stunned England in Nottingham after Smriti Mandhana’s century powered the visitors to 210/5 before England collapsed to 113 all out in a 97-run defeat.
India followed that with another win in Bristol to take a 2-0 lead. England responded with a five-run win at The Oval after defending 171/9 and later finished the series positively in Birmingham by chasing 168 off the final ball. Still, India sealed the series in Manchester after comfortably chasing 127, exposing England’s struggles against aggressive batting attacks and spin through the middle overs.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, England have not played any international T20 cricket, with a three-match T20I series against New Zealand set to serve as their final preparation assignment before the World Cup begins at home. Ahead of the series, England conducted an extensive selection camp, where a 30-member group was split into two 15-player squads for a set of intra-squad T20 matches. The camp played a major role in finalising England’s World Cup squad, with performances across the internal matches helping selectors identify the final 15 players for the tournament.
Now, with the tournament returning to home soil for the first time since England’s unforgettable 2017 triumph, the focus shifts from preparation to performance. With Nat Sciver-Brunt leading the side in home conditions, England are once again hoping a World Cup in England ends with silverware.
England Women’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad:
Nat Sciver-Brunt (C), Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Dani Gibson, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Heather Knight, Linsey Smith, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
England’s Fixtures at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026:
12 June 2026: vs Sri Lanka
16 June 2026: vs Ireland
20 June 2026: vs Scotland
24 June 2026: vs West Indies
27 June 2026: vs New Zealand
Loves all things female cricket