Heather Knight has spoken to Sky Sports about England's clear ambition for the upcoming home Women's T20 World Cup, which kicks off in June. The goal, she says, 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 hosted the women's T20 World Cup since 2009, a tournament that ended with the host nation lifting the trophy. The English women's side has already enjoyed a taste of home triumph, having won the 50-over Cricket World Cup on home soil in 2017 – a campaign that Knight captained with distinction.
Now, at 35, Knight observes that the environment for women's sport in the UK has shifted dramatically over the past decade. The Lionesses clinched back‑to‑back European Championships in 2022 and 2025, the latter played in front of a sold‑out Wembley Stadium, while the Red Roses captured the Rugby World Cup at a packed Twickenham in September of last year. "The focus now is women's cricket at the World Cup, so it's really exciting," Knight told Sky Sports.
"It feels like a once‑in‑a‑career moment, but for me it could be my second home tournament, and that makes it incredibly special." She emphasised the advantage of playing on familiar pitches with family and friends in the stands, noting how the support of a home crowd can be a decisive factor. "The atmosphere in 2017, watching the crowds swell and the final at Lord's, was unforgettable. This is another chance to make a lasting impact on the sport in England and leave a true legacy.
If we perform well this summer, we can cement a new chapter for women's cricket here." Knight also reflected on the broader evolution of the game. "It took a while for the early successes to translate into structural change, but the landscape is now very different," she said. "Women's cricket now has a professional domestic framework, greater visibility and a clearer pathway for players. The sport feels more normalised – young girls can see a viable career in cricket, and that visibility is crucial." She added that the England set‑up hopes to replicate the cultural shift seen in football and rugby, inspiring the next generation to view cricket as a natural sport for girls.
"We want to make being a girl in cricket feel ordinary and fantastic," Knight explained. "Seeing the Lionesses and Red Roses succeed has shown us what is possible, and we aim to create similar role models for cricket." Despite a recent dip in form, the England women's team is determined to approach the home World Cup with enthusiasm and resolve.
Knight described the current mood within the squad as "very positive" after a relatively quiet winter season. "We haven't played much cricket since the 50‑over World Cup, so we're eager to get back together, feel the rhythm of international competition again, and start building our game plan for the T20 tournament," she said. She highlighted the importance of teamwork and clarity of roles as the side prepares. "Getting back together as a group will help us define how we want to play and what each of us brings to the table.
Embracing the pressure of a home World Cup will be essential, and we will have many conversations about how to channel that pressure into performance and attack the tournament with confidence." The excitement surrounding the event is already evident beyond the professional arena. With just 50 days left until the tournament, more than 236,000 children from over 1,350 schools across the United Kingdom took part in Schools Cricket Day, marking the largest single‑day cricket participation effort in the country's history. The initiative aimed to spark interest among youngsters and introduce them to the sport's fundamentals.
Knight herself joined a vibrant cricket festival at Raynes Park Sports Ground in London, where she interacted with over 200 boys and girls, participated in drills, and shared insights with aspiring players. The day also featured educational games created by UNICEF under its "Rights in Play" programme, designed to teach children about their rights through the medium of sport. ICC chairman Jay Shah praised the growing enthusiasm, stating, "It is fantastic to see the excitement building across the UK ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Schools Cricket Day, marking 50 days to go, has brought thousands of children into the game, many of whom may be taking their very first steps in cricket today.
Expanding this year's tournament from ten to twelve teams reflects our commitment to growing the women's game globally and creating more opportunities for players and fans alike. 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 this sentiment: "Moments like this show how the ICC Women's T20 World Cup is shaping the future of the game.
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." Financially, the tournament will feature a 10 percent increase in the total prize fund compared with 2024. The champions will receive $2.34 million (approximately £1.74 million), while the runners‑up will take home $1.17 million (about £871,000).
All twelve participating teams are guaranteed a minimum payout of $247,500 (roughly £184,000), more than double the guaranteed amount in 2024. Although 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 event as a potential landmark moment: "The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be a historic occasion for the sport – on track to become the most attended women's cricket event ever, with record‑breaking ticket demand and the largest prize pool for a global women's T20 competition." In summary, Heather Knight and her teammates are poised to harness the momentum generated by recent successes in other women's sports, the growing domestic infrastructure, and a massive grassroots push to deliver a memorable home World Cup.
Their aim is not only to compete for the trophy but also to cement a lasting legacy that will inspire future generations of girls to pick up a bat, step onto a pitch, and see a place for themselves in English cricket.