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 goal, she explained, is to "create a genuine legacy for women's cricket in this country," a vision that mirrors the recent successes of the Lionesses in football and the Red Roses in rugby. This will be the first time England has staged the women's T20 World Cup since the 2009 edition, a tournament that ended in triumph for the home side.
The England women's team also celebrated a historic home victory in the 50‑over Cricket World Cup in 2017, a competition that Knight captained to glory. Reflecting on those achievements, the 35‑year‑old captain noted how dramatically the landscape of women's sport has evolved in the intervening years. The Lionesses clinched back‑to‑back European Championships in 2022 and 2025, the latter in front of a sold‑out Wembley Stadium, while the Red Roses lifted 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 now 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, adding that it would likely be her second home World Cup if everything goes to plan. "Playing at home is incredibly special – friends and family can attend, we know the grounds and the conditions, and that home support is crucial," she said. Knight recalled the electric atmosphere of the 2017 final at Lord's, where crowds swelled and the energy was "super special." She believes that a successful campaign 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 the sport of women's cricket in this country," she asserted. Beyond the on‑field goals, Knight highlighted how the success of other women's teams has begun to reshape public perception. "It took a little bit of time for that success to see changes and I think the landscape is very different now and – particularly in women's cricket – there's the structure beneath the game, the domestic game's professional.
It's a lot more normal to be a women's cricketer, there's a lot more visibility," she explained. She emphasized that a robust domestic framework is essential for capitalising on any international triumph. "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.
We've seen what the Lionesses and Red Roses have done, I've followed those very closely and know some of the players. We want to do something similar and hopefully inspire kids to make a girl in cricket really normal and really great," Knight added.
The England women's side has struggled with form in recent months, but Knight insisted the squad is eager to embrace the challenge of a home World Cup. "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 looked forward to reconvening the group, clarifying strategies, and defining each player's role ahead of the tournament.
Managing the pressure of a home event will be a key theme in the team's preparation. "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," Knight explained. The excitement is already palpable across the country. With just 50 days left until the tournament, more than 236,000 children from over 1,350 schools participated in Schools Cricket Day, the largest single‑day cricket participation event in UK history.
Knight joined over 200 boys and girls at a lively cricket festival at Raynes Park Sports Ground in London, taking part in drills, matches, and meet‑and‑greets with aspiring youngsters. The day also featured educational games created by the ICC's charitable partner UNICEF under its "Rights in Play" programme, which used cricket activities to teach children about their rights.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah praised the initiative, saying it was "fantastic to see the excitement building across the UK ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026" and noting that the expansion of the tournament from ten to twelve teams demonstrates a commitment to growing the women's game globally. ECB strategic growth lead Gemma Barton echoed the sentiment, stressing that events like Schools Cricket Day illustrate how the tournament is shaping the future of cricket. "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 ICC announced a 10 percent increase in the total prize fund for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup. The champions will receive $2.34 million (£1.74 million), while the runners‑up will collect $1.17 million (£871,000).
Although the top‑two prize amounts remain unchanged from 2024, all twelve participating teams are guaranteed a minimum of $247,500 (£184,000), more than double the guarantee offered in 2024. This reflects the tournament's growth, with the overall prize pool rising from $7.958 million in 2024 to $8.765 million in 2026.
Tournament director Beth Barrett‑Wild described the event as a potential "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." In summary, Heather Knight and the England women's cricket team are poised to leverage the home advantage, the momentum of other women's sports, and a strengthened domestic structure to deliver a memorable World Cup and, hopefully, a lasting legacy for future generations of female cricketers in England.