England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt targets T20 World Cup legacy
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt hopes to inspire a new generation of players as she prepares to lead her country into the Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil, starting against Sri Lanka this Friday.
The veteran all-rounder was a key part of the squad that famously lifted the 50-over World Cup at Lord’s in 2017.
This time, she will take the field alongside 21-year-old talents Freya Kemp and Alice Capsey, who grew up watching that historic triumph from afar.
Creating a full-circle moment
Speaking at a spectacular launch event that temporarily transformed London’s Waterloo Bridge into a cricket pitch, the skipper emphasised the importance of creating lasting memories.
“Hopefully the young girls are watching out and maybe they’ll be part of the next World Cup. You never know when it’s going to happen.”
“We managed to get a few people from 2017 and now they’re playing in the team, so I think that’s such a cool full-circle moment.”
“It’s an ‘I was there’ moment, so don’t miss out on that.”
Tournament preparations gather pace
The global showpiece begins on Friday evening when the hosts face Sri Lanka in their Group 2 opener at Edgbaston.
Matches will be spread across the country, with world-class venues in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Southampton selected to host the competition.
Six-time champions Australia remain heavy favourites to reclaim the crown won by New Zealand in Dubai two years ago.
The tournament heavyweights begin their Group 1 campaign against South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon.
Growing stature of the women’s game
The high-profile promotional event in the capital highlighted the increasing global visibility of women’s cricket.
Australian captain Sophie Molineux believes closing a major London thoroughfare reflects this remarkable progress.
“It just shows where the game has come from and where it’s going.”
“I think this tournament is going to be a massive inroad into getting the women’s game right up there in terms of eyeballs and eyes watching, so hopefully this really sets the tone for what’s going to be a really exciting few weeks.”
