"Have prepared the best we can": England Women skipper Heather Knight ahead of ICC Women's T20 World Cup
Sep 29, 2024
Abu Dhabi [UAE], September 29 : Ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 in the United Arab Emirates, England Women's captain Heather Knight shared insights on her team's preparations for the upcoming marquee event.
The Women's T20 World Cup 2024 is set to kick off at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 3, with the final scheduled to take place at the Dubai International Stadium on October 20.
The England team experimented during their series against Ireland, which provided their core players with valuable game time ahead of what promises to be a challenging tournament.
Knight emphasised the importance of these series in helping the team reach a strong position before the tournament.
"We are clear about how we want to do things and how we want to play. We have prepared the best we can and feel in a great spot," Knight said in her column for the ICC.
She was particularly pleased with how her players have performed under pressure in recent months.
"I'm really excited about the squad we have selected for the tournament in the UAE. We've got a lot of bases covered, and over the past year, everyone in the squad has stepped up at some point with brilliant performances to help the team win games. We want to make great memories both on and off the pitch, and everyone is excited for the month ahead," she said.
England have not won a Women's T20 World Cup since their victory against New Zealand in the final of the inaugural edition in 2009.
While it's been a long wait for the T20 trophy, Knight stressed the importance of not giving in to the pressure.
"It's important not to change how we play just because it's the World Cup, with added pressure and external expectations. It's about doing our best and approaching it with a one-game-at-a-time mentality. T20 can be the most volatile and unpredictable format, so we need to get our mindset right, avoid overthinking because it's a World Cup, and see how we go," she said.
England are placed in Group B of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, alongside Scotland, the West Indies, South Africa, and Bangladesh.
They will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on 5 October.
