Heather Knight recently sat down with Sky Sports to discuss England's ambitions for the upcoming home Women's T20 World Cup, which kicks off in June. The central goal, 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. This will be the first time England has hosted the women's T20 World Cup since 2009, a tournament that ended in triumph for the host nation. England's women have also enjoyed home glory in the 50‑over World Cup, winning the title on English soil in 2017 under Knight’s captaincy.
The 35‑year‑old reflects on how dramatically the landscape of women's sport has shifted since those earlier victories. She points to the Lionesses' back‑to‑back European Championship wins in 2022 and 2025 – the latter played in front of a sold‑out Wembley Stadium – as well as the Red Roses' Rugby World Cup triumph at a packed Twickenham 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.
Knight describes the prospect of playing a second home tournament as "once in a career" and emphasizes how special it feels to have friends and family in the stands, to be familiar with the venues and conditions, and to benefit from the home‑crowd support that can be a decisive factor. She recalls the 2017 World Cup final at Lord's, noting how the growing crowds made that moment "super special" and how that experience fuels her desire to leave a lasting impact 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 said. The idea of a legacy is not abstract for Knight; she wants tangible change that encourages more girls to pick up a bat and ball, making cricket a normal and celebrated part of their lives.
The England side has struggled for consistency in recent months, but Knight insists the team is eager to return to international competition after a relatively quiet winter. "The mood's really good," she said. "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 highlighted the importance of team cohesion and clear role definition as the squad prepares. "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." Knight also acknowledges the pressure that comes with hosting a major tournament.
"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," she added. The build‑up to the event is already generating excitement across the country. With just 50 days left until the opening match, Schools Cricket Day saw more than 236,000 children from over 1,350 schools across the UK take part in a single‑day cricket experience – the largest participation event in UK cricket history. Knight joined over 200 boys and girls at a vibrant festival at Raynes Park Sports Ground in London, taking part in drills, matches and informal chats with aspiring youngsters.
The day also featured educational games developed by UNICEF as part of its "Rights in Play" programme, integrating child‑rights education with cricket activities. 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 tournament's expansion from ten to twelve teams demonstrates a commitment to growing the women's game globally. ECB strategic growth head Gemma Barton echoed this sentiment, emphasizing how events like Schools Cricket Day showcase cricket's inclusivity and fun factor.
She added that the legacy the tournament hopes to create goes beyond the summer itself: it aims to inspire more girls to play, foster the growth of new teams, and make everyone feel they belong in the sport. Financially, the ICC announced a 10 percent increase in the total prize fund for the 2026 edition, with the winners set to receive $2.34 million (£1.74 million) and the runners‑up $1.17 million (£871,000). While the top‑two prize amounts remain the same as in 2024, every participating side is guaranteed a minimum of $247,500 (£184,000), more than double the guarantee offered in 2024.
This reflects the tournament’s expansion and the ICC’s intention to reward all teams fairly. The prize structure also shows a dramatic rise compared with 2023. When New Zealand won the 2024 edition, the total pot was $7.958 million (£5.926 million).
With twelve teams now competing, the total prize money has risen to $8.765 million (£6.528 million), marking a 134‑percent increase for the top two teams compared with the previous year. Tournament director Beth Barrett‑Wild described the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup as a "landmark moment for the game," predicting it will 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 the England women’s cricket team are poised to use the home World Cup as a catalyst for lasting change. By leveraging the excitement of a home crowd, the increased financial incentives, and grassroots initiatives like Schools Cricket Day, they hope to inspire a new generation of female cricketers and cement England’s position as a leader in the global women’s game.