Sky Sports Cricket’s Michael Atherton says England have the talent and squad to challenge for the Women’s T20 World Cup title on home soil this summer.
The England women’s team have not hosted a T20 World Cup since they last hosted one in 2009, were eliminated in the group stage in 2024 and have not won the ICC Trophy in any format since 2017, when they won the 50-over World Cup at home.
Head coach Charlotte Edwards is set to announce her squad for the 2026 competition on Tuesday and feels Atherton has a chance to win despite a difficult period for the team in recent years.
“England won the last time we played here in England, which was a long time ago, so of course we have home advantage, but when you play at home there’s inevitably a little bit more scrutiny and pressure,” Atherton said.
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“But England have great players, they are under new management, new captain and new coach.
“Charlotte Edwards will train them well, I have no doubt about that.
“They have a lot of depth and top-class players, so they should be in a period of change.
“So this tournament is difficult to call. There are some very good teams. I think the overall level is improving all the time, so it’s becoming more competitive.”
“Obviously Australia are going to be a very difficult team to beat.
“But England, with home advantage and some good players, should be in for a change.”
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Match highlights as New Zealand beat South Africa by 32 runs in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup final as White Ferns won their first title
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Heather Knight breaks down in tears as she recalls the moment England were eliminated from the T20 Women’s World Cup 2024 as West Indies celebrated.
“Silver Brunt, Bell, Perrin – England’s players to watch”
Sky Sports Cricket’s Atherton talks about England players to watch at the Women’s T20 World Cup…
“I have to go with my captain, Nat Silver-Blunt, and that’s very important in a home tournament, with a lot of scrutiny, a lot of pressure, a lot of expectations.
“That’s Nat Silver-Blunt, the captain, the dynamic leader, and obviously one of the best players.
Nat Silver-Brunt (right) is set to captain England at the Women’s T20 World Cup, which begins on June 12, and is one of Atherton’s players to watch.
“Opening bowler Lauren Bell, in the English situation, it’s very important to open your bowling and find that movement with the new ball.
“And the player who really caught my attention last year in The Hundred, Devina Perrin, scored a brilliant hundred on the oval in the pre-final match, the Eliminator. I hope to see young players like her just say, ‘This is my time.’”
Knight: The landscape of women’s sport has changed – England wants World Cup legacy
Heather Knight told Sky Sports that England’s ambition for the home women’s T20 World Cup, which begins in June, is to follow in the footsteps of the Lionesses and Red Roses and “create a real legacy of women’s cricket in this country”.
The 35-year-old says the landscape of women’s sports has changed significantly since 2017 and her team’s World Cup victory. In 2022 and 2025, England’s Lionesses won back-to-back firsts in front of a packed Wembley, and last September the Red Roses won the Rugby World Cup title in front of a packed Twickenham.
“The focus right now is women’s cricket at the World Cup so it’s very exciting, it’s not too far away and it’s a chance to do something really special as a team,” Knight told Sky Sports.
Heather Knight spoke to Sky Sports ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be held locally in June and July this year.
“The home support was huge for us in 2017, the excitement of the crowd and the final at Lord’s was so special.
“This is your chance to make a real impact on your country’s sport and leave a legacy. If we do our job right and are successful this summer, we can leave a real legacy for the sport of women’s cricket in this country.”
“It took a while for us to see change after that success, but I think things are very different now. Especially in women’s cricket, there’s an underlying structure to the game of domestic professionalism. It’s much more normal to be a female cricketer and there’s a lot more visibility.”
Knight captained England as they tasted glory at the 2017 Cricket World Cup at home in the 50-over format.
“If we have that success and things go well, you’ll be hoping that we’re well-positioned to make the most of it and make it a really great moment. We’ve seen what the Lionesses and Red Roses have done, I’ve been watching them very closely and I know some of the players.”
“We want to do something similar and hopefully inspire kids to be really normal and really great girls in cricket.”
