An undefeated home summer against New Zealand has positioned England favourably for success in this year's T20 World Cup, according to coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight. As a dress rehearsal for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, England's performance has been nearly flawless, making them strong contenders for the upcoming tournament.
England wrapped up a 5-0 series sweep against New Zealand with a victory in the final T20I at Lord's on Tuesday. This dominant performance ensured they finished their home summer unbeaten, entering October’s T20 World Cup in excellent form. Key contributions came from top-order batters like Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, and Danni Wyatt, while fast bowlers Lauren Bell and Lauren Filer impressed. The spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, and Charlie Dean also showcased their skills.
Lewis is optimistic about England's chances of claiming a second Women's T20 World Cup title in Bangladesh later this year. He expressed confidence in the team's comprehensive preparation and performance throughout the series.
"I feel like we’ve got pretty much all bases covered at the moment," Lewis stated. "We’ve played some fantastic cricket over this series, and we’re confident that we can win the T20 World Cup."
England's primary obstacle at the T20 World Cup will be six-time champions Australia, who have dominated the tournament, winning the last three editions. Despite the unexpected retirement of their captain Meg Lanning, Australia remains a formidable force.
Heather Knight's performance will be crucial for England's hopes of overcoming Australia and winning the T20 World Cup. The experienced captain found form in the final T20I against New Zealand, scoring a quick-fire 46 and earning Player of the Match honours. Knight acknowledged the strong performances of England's top-order batters, which had limited her opportunities at the crease.
"I haven’t had much time in the middle because the girls at the top have done so well," Knight noted. "I’m disappointed I haven’t contributed too much in this series when I have got a chance. So, it was really nice to get a contribution today, and I feel my game is in a really good place."
England's players will now focus on domestic cricket in The Hundred, with a white-ball series in Ireland scheduled for September to further refine their skills ahead of the T20 World Cup. Knight believes her team is well-prepared for the tournament and anticipates tough decisions for the selectors in narrowing down the squad to 15 players.
"We started talking about it a couple of days ago, that we really wanted to finish this summer unbeaten," Knight told the BBC. "We’ve been so ruthless throughout the series. It’s been something to work on for us over the last six to 12 months, to really nail teams when we’re on top, and we’ve done that brilliantly this series."
Knight expressed satisfaction with the all-round performances and contributions from various players, highlighting the depth and strength of the squad. She acknowledged the challenge of selecting the final World Cup squad and the playing XI but viewed it as a positive challenge.
"Picking that World Cup squad is going to be really hard and nailing it down to an XI will be a tough thing to do, but that’s a really good place to be in," Knight concluded.