England chase lost glory as Women's T20 World Cup returns home

: "It's coming home" could become a familiar refrain over the next month in England. The phrase belongs to English football and that other World Cup kicking off in North America, but it sits just as comfortably alongside this Women's T20 World Cup. For much of the past decade, England were cast as the principal challengers to Australia's dominance. Yet when Australia failed to win the last World Cup in either format, the trophies ended up in New Zealand and India instead.

A home World Cup, though, offers the promise of renewal. England's fondest World Cup memories have all been forged on home soil. They've won every women's World Cup they've hosted - 1973, 1993, 2009 (T20) and most recently in 2017. In that famous Lord's final, a 24-year-old Nat Sciver-Brunt top-scored before a captivated crowd. Nearly a decade on, she returns as one of the game's defining players and England's captain, charged with leading a new generation and bringing the glory days back home.

Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Heather Knight, Amy Jones (wk), Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Danielle Gibson, Freya Kemp, Lauren Bell, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Linsey Smith, Issy Wong

Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey/Sophia Dunkley, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight, Amy Jones (wk), Freya Kemp, Danielle Gibson, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell

The 18-year-old left-arm spinner's association with coach Charlotte Edwards stretches back to the England legend presenting her with a Kent U11s cap. Corteen-Coleman may not start the tournament in the first XI, but if called upon, she has already sampled cricket at the highest level. She was a non-travelling reserve for ODI World Cup in India last year, and made an immediate impression on her international debut against New Zealand, taking two wickets and scoring a vital 3* in a one-wicket win. She has turned heads on the domestic circuit too, famously taking four wickets in four balls in county cricket before dismissing Meg Lanning for her maiden wicket in The Hundred, where Edwards was again her mentor at Southern Brave before taking charge of England in 2025.

The former skipper endured a lean run in five of England's six T20Is leading into the World Cup. Then came Taunton. Alongside Alice Capsey, she struck an unbeaten 70 off 42 balls in a stunning 137-run partnership that powered England to their highest successful chase in a home T20I after they had slipped to 38 for 3. Her experience in the middle order and proven pedigree on the big stage could prove invaluable over the next month.

Nat Sciver-Brunt has yet to feature for England this summer after suffering a calf injury while playing in the One-Day Cup in April. Edwards confirmed that the skipper is fit and will return to her preferred No. 3 position, although she may not be ready to bowl rightaway. That will alter England's balance, and add to their combination woes after a fair few 'headaches' in the batting department.

After three impressive wins, England's campaign unravelled on the back of one heavy defeat to West Indies. They eventually finished third in a group where the semifinal spots were decided by net run rate.

Fairly well, if the Ashes whitewash is kept aside. England swept West Indies and secured series wins over both finalists from the previous World Cup, New Zealand and South Africa. They also avenged last year's narrow 2-3 home defeat to India by winning the most recent series 2-1 on the eve of this tournament.

England will expect to start strongly in Group B and should be favourites in each of their first three matches. Then comes West Indies at Lord's on June 24, a rematch of the fixture that ended in tears in the UAE two years ago. Navigate that hurdle and the final group game against defending champions New Zealand may determine only their semifinal opposition rather than their qualification fate.

Sophie Ecclestone needs six wickets to become only the third bowler from a Full Member nation to reach 150 wickets in WT20Is.

A place in the final at Lord's on July 5. Anything less at a home World Cup would reinforce the belief that their hold on the No. 2 spot has loosened.

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