Heather Knight recently sat down with Sky Sports to discuss England's ambitions as the nation prepares to host the Women's T20 World Cup in June. The central aim, she explained, is to "create a real legacy for women's cricket in this country," mirroring the recent successes of the Lionesses in football and the Red Roses in rugby. England will be staging the tournament for the first time since 2009, a year in which the English side lifted the World Cup trophy.
The women's cricket team also enjoyed a historic home victory in the 50‑over World Cup in 2017, a campaign that Knight captained to glory. At 35, Knight observes that the environment for women's sport has transformed dramatically over the past decade.
The Lionesses have won back‑to‑back European Championships in 2022 and 2025, the latter taking place in front of a sold‑out Wembley Stadium. Meanwhile, the Red Roses captured the Rugby World Cup on a packed Twickenham pitch last September.
"The focus now is women's cricket at the World Cup, so it's really exciting, not too far away and a chance for us to do something really special as a side," Knight told Sky Sports. She described the upcoming tournament as a once‑in‑a‑career opportunity, noting that it will likely be her second major competition on home soil.
"It's just really special playing at home – friends and family can come, you're familiar with the grounds and the conditions, and you have that home support which is crucial," she said. Knight recalled the 2017 World Cup final at Lord's, describing the atmosphere as "huge" and the crowd build‑up as "super special." She believes that a strong performance this summer could leave a lasting imprint on the sport: "If we do our job right and have success this summer we can leave a real legacy on women's cricket in this country." Knight also highlighted how the success of other women's teams has begun to reshape the cricketing landscape.
"It took a little bit of time for that success to see changes and I think the landscape is very different now – particularly in women's cricket – there's the structure beneath the game, the domestic game is professional. It's a lot more normal to be a women's cricketer, there's a lot more visibility," she explained. She hopes that any triumph in the tournament will be supported by robust structures, allowing the sport to capitalise on the momentum: "You'd hope now if we have that success and things go well for us the structures are in place to make the most of it and really make it a huge moment." Knight admitted that the England women's side has struggled for form in recent weeks, but she is confident that the team will approach the home World Cup with renewed vigor. "The mood's really good, we haven't had a huge amount of cricket this winter since that 50‑over World Cup so we're actually itching to get out together as an England side, get the feel of international cricket again and build towards that T20 World Cup," she said.
She added that the squad is eager to reconvene, refine their tactics and define each player's role: "It'll be really fun to get back together as a group and try and get really clear on how we're going to play and the roles we're going to play." The pressure of playing at home will be a major talking point in the lead‑up to the tournament. Knight stressed that the team will have many conversations about handling expectations and turning pressure into a weapon: "Trying to embrace the pressure of a home T20 World Cup, it's going to be really important, I'm sure we'll have lots of conversations leading into the competition about how we're going to deal with that and how we're going to maximise it and really attack that tournament." The excitement surrounding the event is already evident beyond the professional arena. With just 50 days left until the tournament, Schools Cricket Day saw more than 236,000 children from over 1,350 schools across the UK pick up a bat and ball – the largest single‑day cricket participation event in the country's history.
Knight took part in the festivities at Raynes Park Sports Ground in London, joining over 200 boys and girls for drills, matches and meet‑and‑greets. The day also featured UNICEF's "Rights in Play" programme, which used cricket‑based games to teach children about their rights.
ICC chairman Jay Shah praised the growing enthusiasm, noting that expanding the tournament from ten to twelve teams demonstrates a commitment to growing the women's game globally and creating more opportunities for players and fans alike. He added, "We look forward to welcoming these young participants and their families to the stadiums this summer, where they can watch their heroes and be inspired to dream bigger." Gemma Barton, head of strategic growth at the England and Wales Cricket Board, echoed the sentiment, saying that events like Schools Cricket Day illustrate how the ICC Women's T20 World Cup is shaping the future of the sport. "Every girl and boy inspired to pick up a bat and ball today can see how inclusive, welcoming and fun cricket is.
It's not just about the summer ahead, it's about what comes next: more girls playing, more teams growing, and more people feeling like they belong in the game," she said. Financially, the tournament is set to be more lucrative than ever.
The ICC announced a 10 percent increase in the total prize fund from 2024, with the winners slated to receive $2.34 million (£1.74 million) and the runners‑up $1.17 million (£871,000). All twelve participating teams are guaranteed a minimum of $247,500 (£184,245), more than double the amount assured in 2024. While the top‑two prize money remains unchanged from the previous edition, the overall pot has risen from $7.958 million in 2024 to $8.765 million this year, reflecting the expansion to twelve teams. Tournament director Beth Barrett‑Wild described the 2026 edition as a "landmark moment for the game – on course to become the most attended women's cricket event in history, with record‑breaking ticket demand and the largest‑ever prize pot for a global women's T20 competition." The detailed prize distribution includes $2,340,000 for the champions, $1,170,000 for the runners‑up, $675,000 for each losing semi‑finalist, $31,154 for each group‑stage win, and a guaranteed $247,500 for every team.
In summary, Heather Knight and her teammates are poised to harness the unique energy of a home World Cup, aiming not only for on‑field success but also for a lasting impact that will inspire the next generation of girls to see cricket as a normal, exciting, and achievable path. The combination of heightened public interest, increased financial incentives, and a more professional domestic structure suggests that the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup could indeed become a turning point for women's cricket in England and beyond.