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T20 Women’s World Cup: Why 2026 tournament matters so much to England and English game
There remains a growing sense of momentum around this England side, however.
Edwards, the iconic captain brutally dropped before the last World Cup on these shores, has calmly dealt with the fitness questions which dogged the final months of the Jon Lewis regime since answering England’s SOS call in the aftermath of the 2024-25 Ashes whitewash.
There was the underwhelming 50-over World Cup last autumn, but recent series wins over New Zealand and India have boosted both expectation and confidence.
Over the space of six matches in May and early June, Alice Capsey moved from spare batter to middle-order linchpin, and Wednesday’s fifty for Sciver-Brunt after six weeks out with a calf injury was another timely boost.
Seam bowling all-rounders Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson, the two most significant additions from last year’s 50-over exit, have also added a freshness and balance to this side.
Kemp’s 39 not out from 13 balls against India in Bristol, which came with England 1-0 down in the series and at 117-4 in the 17th over, could yet be a sliding doors moment to look back on.
From that position of strife, England levelled the series and then impressively won it in Taunton.
The next question is whether that is another false dawn, one similar to other bilateral wins which were followed by failings when the World Cup crunch came, or something more permanent.
More broadly, this tournament comes at a fascinating time for the women’s game.
Scotland have qualified for the second time and are eyeing a first win on this stage, having beaten Pakistan and Bangladesh in recent warm-ups. Ireland, too, beat Pakistan, Bangladesh and West Indies.
Both are in England’s group, along with the Windies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and upsets feel possible.
Emotion can also be expected over the coming weeks, with the White Ferns’ great all-rounder Suzie Bates having already confirmed this month will signal the end of her international career. Australian icon Alyssa Healy retired this year earlier.
Could former England captain Heather Knight, already looking to the future with a management role in The Hundred, follow their lead? A changing of the guard feels close.
Success this summer would be a fitting final act for Knight, who has been a seismic figure in the modern game.
She led England to victory in the Lord’s final of 2017, but the group stage of that tournament was held in Leicester, Derby, Taunton and Bristol.
This year, Bristol remains but is joined by fellow host grounds Lord’s, The Oval, Old Trafford, Headingley, Southampton and Edgbaston – some of the most famous and largest cricket venues in the country.
Those venues reflect the epic growth of the women’s game across Knight’s career but also present a challenge for the tournament.
While ticket sales passed the previous best for a Women’s T20 World Cup – the 136,549 sold for the 2020 edition in Australia – more than a month before a ball was bowled, empty seats could still be a talking point at some games.
Organisers still hope this tournament can cut through into the public consciousness to inspire a generation, in the way the victories of the Lionesses and Red Roses have done before.
England will look to hit the ground running to draw an initial surge of interest.
“There’s extra pressure from everywhere,” Sciver-Brunt said on Thursday.
“Being the host nation, my first home World Cup leading, the Lionesses and the Red Roses doing such a brilliant job in their tournaments in the last few years, the state of women’s cricket, the list goes on in terms of where you could add up the pressure.
“I guess we’re sat here feeling that pressure is a privilege, we’re at a time in the world where women’s cricket is waiting for a platform to expand and explode.”
English cricket failed to truly capitalise on Knight’s 2017 win.
Full-time domestic contracts were still three years away and the stage offered by The Hundred did not arrive until 2021.
As Sciver-Brunt says, the platform is there this time. This is a crucial opportunity for the game to make the most of it.
Former West Ham, QPR and Czech Republic goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has died at the age of 64.
Miklosko made almost 400 appearances for the Hammers from 1990 to 1998 and was much loved by supporters, who regularly sang his name long after he left the club.
He later returned as a goalkeeping coach.
Miklosko withdrew from cancer treatment in December 2024, three years after his diagnosis.
Days later he returned to West Ham’s London Stadium for a Premier League match against Liverpool to a hero’s reception.
A West Ham statement read: “It is with deep and profound sadness that West Ham United announces the passing of legendary former goalkeeper and coach, Luděk Miklosko.
“Rest in peace Ludek, our beloved, inspirational goalkeeper and gentle giant of a man.”
More to follow.
Going into the 2026 season, few people would have backed Zverev to win two Grand Slam tournaments, with the German having already lost three major finals in a career which looked in danger of not living up to expectation.
But injuries to his biggest rivals – Alcaraz missing the French Open and Wimbledon, with Sinner ruled out of the US Open – opened the door for Zverev.
A below-par Zverev scraped through the opening rounds at Flushing Meadows in a series of early-morning finishes, but he gradually improved over a fortnight where he did not play a top-20 opponent until Shelton.
Zverev had not lost to Shelton in their five previous meetings and immediately capitalised on a nervy start by his opponent.
Shelton double-faulted on break point in the first game of the match, handing over the type of initiative that opponents often struggle to wrestle back from Zverev.
Through the strength of his first serve, and his ability to unpick Shelton’s weaker backhand in the baseline exchanges, Zverev rolled through the opening set and clinched it when Shelton hit another double fault on set point.
Zverev continued to patiently draw mistakes from Shelton in the second set, but without being gifted a break when his only opportunity arrived in the fourth game.
He instead showed why he has a strong tie-break record with another nerveless display and, unlike in the 2020 US Open final when he lost from a two-set lead, kept his composure in the pressure moments to secure a commanding victory.
Addressing his team which is led by his father Alexander senior and brother Mischa, Zverev said: “We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now won two in the span of three months.
“I think God has seen how hard we have worked, how hard we have suffered and how much pain we went through.
“I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
With Haaland’s goal settling the match, United were unsurprisingly disappointed by the decision.
“I think it was offside,” said Martinez. “And what I can’t understand is the rules. I want to be calm now, I want to control myself.
“It’s so hard because you lose a derby, you lose three points at home, and every season they’re [referees] coming to our club, they explain for one hour the rules, and they look so confident with that, and then after [there are] five or six people doing these kind of mistakes in the Premier League – it’s unacceptable.
“It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice.”
United boss Carrick also expressed his confusion.
“We put things in place in the game now, we have people in offices with all the screens for this decision,” he said.
“It’s more worrying about if that’s the interpretation of football now. If that’s the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that’s really worrying for me. It’s a staggering explanation.
“The decision isn’t going to change the season, but it’s had a major impact on the game.”
Wayne Rooney, part of the BBC’s MOTD2 team, said: “Surely it’s offside. Martinez is impacted by Fernandez’s movement, and he is offside.”
Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “I think we’ll see some sort of apology from the referee’s association, there’s no doubt Fernandez is playing that ball and is trying to put off Martinez. I think it’s one they’ll recognising they got wrong.”
Micah Richards added: “I think it’s been a bad day for referees. They got the Foden decision wrong and the Fernandez decision wrong. I think they got it so wrong but I don’t think it takes anything away from City’s performance.”
Meanwhile, City boss Maresca said: “I think it was onside clearly so it’s good.”
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