Davina Perrin did not make the final England roster for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup, while the selectors chose to add a fresh face – 18‑year‑old Surrey spin bowler Tilly Corteen‑Coleman, who has yet to earn an international cap. The squad will be led by Nat Sciver‑Brunt, who captains the side on home soil for her seventh appearance at a T20 World Cup tournament.
Corteen‑Coleman joins a trio of newcomers in the 15‑player group, alongside Warwickshire all‑rounder Issy Wong and Durham seam bowler Lauren Filer. All three have been handed a World Cup berth for the first time, signalling a clear intention from the coaching staff to blend experience with youthful energy.
Veteran Surrey batter Danni Wyatt‑Hodge, meanwhile, will feature in her eighth T20 World Cup, providing a wealth of big‑stage experience to the line‑up. The England side also boasts the all‑round talents of Hampshire pacer Lauren Bell, who is expected to spearhead the bowling attack, and the versatile Charlie Dean from Somerset, who has been appointed vice‑captain. Dean joins an impressive roster of all‑rounders, underscoring the depth of skill available to the Lionesses as they prepare for the home tournament. Head coach Charlotte Edwards explained the difficulty of the selection process: “There is no doubt that it has been incredibly tough to get to these 15 names.
This is the hardest set of selection meetings I have been a part of because the pool of players to choose from is so strong and so many talented players have put their hand up to be a part of the squad, which is exactly what we want. That is the nature of world‑class sport, and it is a privilege we don’t take lightly to be able to make these difficult decisions. An ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil is a special moment for the game in this country, and we are all really motivated by what could be ahead for this group of players and what they can achieve this summer.” England’s opening fixtures will be against Scotland and Ireland, offering a chance for the newcomers to settle in before the tougher clashes.
The tournament will be streamed on Sky Sports, with some matches available free via the Sky Sports app, and a contract‑free streaming option on NOW for viewers without a traditional subscription. Sciver‑Brunt added her perspective on the responsibility of captaining a home World Cup: “It is a huge honour to be leading England into a T20 World Cup at home in front of family and friends and all our passionate supporters.
We have all been looking forward to this summer and this tournament for some time now and the naming of the squad means it is almost here and we can’t wait to get out onto the field and give it everything to win this World Cup again. I know how much winning in 2009 meant to the players and to Charlotte Edwards as captain, and being in the team under Heather Knight’s leadership for the 2017 ODI World Cup win was incredibly special. Now the aim is to do something similar with this fantastic group of players who I know are putting their heart and soul into achieving our goal, and that hard work will continue right throughout the summer as we start with games against New Zealand and India before that tournament begins.” Corteen‑Coleman, who first received a Kent cap at the age of 11, expressed pure excitement at receiving the call‑up: “I got the good news which I was absolutely buzzing with. I’ve been on cloud nine ever since.
Being a fresh face, people haven’t had that exposure against me which does make a big difference. I love performing under pressure. I’ve had that exposure in front of crowds for domestic and county cricket but also in The Hundred. You won’t know until you’re there but I feel like I’ve got a great support network around me and I’m as ready as I can be.” Historically, England’s performance in the tournament has been mixed – exiting at the group stage in both 2010 and 2024 – but the squad believes this edition could break the pattern.
Sky Sports cricket analyst Tash Farrant commented on the buzz surrounding Corteen‑Coleman’s selection: “There’s a huge amount of excitement. That was the one question on everyone’s mind.
Would Tilly get picked? She got picked up for over £100k just a couple of months ago. People could think that she was picked on just for her potential because she’s only 18.
But also, she’s tried and tested in The Hundred format, playing for the Southern Brave. She’s won that competition once for them. She has been picked on potential. But more so because she has bowled brilliantly against some of the best players and she has really impressed Charlotte Edwards.
Charlotte Edwards was the coach of that Southern Brave team before she was the England women’s coach. Tilly Corteen‑Coleman, I’ve played with her at Surrey, and I’m really excited to see what she can do at that next level up.” Former England bowler Atherton highlighted the key players to watch: “I’ve got to go with the captain, Nat Sciver‑Brunt. It’s very important at a home tournament, with a lot of scrutiny, a lot of pressure, a lot of expectation. The captain and the leader as a driving force and obviously one of the best players as well, which Nat Sciver‑Brunt is.
Opening bowler Lauren Bell, in English conditions, opening bowling, it’s very important to find that movement with the new ball.” Heather Knight, reflecting on the broader ambition, said England aims to "create a real legacy for women’s cricket in this country," drawing parallels with the successes of the Lionesses in football and the Red Roses in rugby. She noted the transformation of the sport since the 2017 triumph, with back‑to‑back European Championships in 2022 and 2025 and a packed Wembley final, as well as the Red Roses winning the Rugby World Cup at a full‑house Twickenham. Knight emphasized the importance of the home crowd: "Home support was huge for us in 2017, the way the crowds built and the final at Lord’s, it’s super special.
It’s a chance to have a real impact on the sport in your country and leave a legacy. 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. 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 want to do something similar and hopefully inspire kids to make a girl in cricket really normal and really great." Beyond the World Cup squad, the selectors also announced squads for the Metro Bank One‑Day series against New Zealand and the Vitality IT20 series against New Zealand and India that will follow the tournament. At the start of a new ODI World Cup cycle, five additional players have been added to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup squad for the three‑match Metro Bank ODI series, including debutants Kira Chathli and Jodi Grewcock. Sophia Dunkley, Charlie Dean and Danni Wyatt‑Hodge will miss the ODI series to manage workload, with Wyatt‑Hodge also preparing for the arrival of her first child. Sarah Glenn was omitted as she continues to recover from a broken finger.
The IT20 squad remains identical to the World Cup roster, ensuring continuity across formats. Fans can watch the Women’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports, with selected games available for free streaming via the Sky Sports App, or opt for contract‑free viewing on NOW if they do not have a Sky subscription.