Heather Knight has explained to Sky Sports that England’s goal for the home‑based Women’s T20 World Cup, which kicks off in June, is to "create a real legacy for women's cricket in this country," mirroring the impact already achieved by the Lionesses in football and the Red Roses in rugby. This will be the first time England has staged the tournament since the 2009 edition—a World Cup that England won. The women’s side also delivered a historic triumph on home soil in the 50‑over Cricket World Cup in 2017, a campaign captained by Knight herself. Now, at 35, Knight observes that the environment for women’s sport has shifted dramatically since those earlier successes.
The Lionesses have captured back‑to‑back UEFA 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 in front of a full house at Twickenham 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. "I would say it's once in a career, but this is probably going to be my second home tournament, hopefully all going well, and it's just really special playing at home, friends and family all able to come, you're very familiar with the grounds and the conditions and obviously you have that home support which is crucial." She reflected on the 2017 triumph, recalling how the crowds grew throughout the tournament and how the final at Lord's felt "super special." Knight believes the upcoming event offers an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of the sport in England. "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 said.
Knight also highlighted the structural changes that have taken place in women's cricket over the past few years. "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 added that the professional domestic circuit now provides a clear pathway for talent, making the sport more accessible and aspirational for young girls.
"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." Despite a recent dip in form, Knight stressed that the England women's side is eager to regain momentum on home soil. "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.
"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, things like that." She also spoke about the pressure of playing a World Cup at home, noting that the team will have many conversations leading up to the tournament about handling expectations and turning them into an advantage. "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 affirmed.
The excitement is already palpable across the country. With just 50 days remaining until the opening match, 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 bustling cricket festival at Raynes Park Sports Ground in London, taking part in drills, mini‑matches and meet‑and‑greets with aspiring youngsters.
The day also featured specially designed resources and games created by the ICC’s global charity partner UNICEF under its "Rights in Play" programme. These activities used cricket as a vehicle to teach children about their rights, reinforcing the sport’s role in broader social development. ICC chairman Jay Shah praised the initiative, saying, "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 10 to 12 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, the ECB’s head of strategic growth, echoed the 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 marks a significant step forward. The ICC announced a 10 percent increase in the total prize fund from 2024 levels. Winners will receive $2.34 million (£1.74 million) and runners‑up $1.17 million (£871,000).
While these top‑tier amounts remain the same as the previous edition, every participating nation is guaranteed a minimum of $247,500 (£184,245), more than double the guarantee offered in 2024. The prize‑money structure also reflects the expansion to 12 teams.
In 2024, when New Zealand claimed their first T20 World Cup, the total pot was $7.958 million (£5.926 million). This year the pot rises to $8.765 million (£6.528 million), with the assured minimum for each of the twelve teams ensuring a more equitable distribution.
Beth Barrett‑Wild, tournament director, 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, Knight and her teammates are poised to harness the momentum generated by recent successes in other women's sports, the growing professional domestic structure, and a nationwide surge of grassroots enthusiasm. Their ambition is clear: to deliver a memorable home World Cup, inspire the next generation of cricketers, and cement a lasting legacy for women's cricket in England.