Heather Knight’s team kick off the defense of the title they won at home in 2017 against Australia, who have lost just one ODI since 2018; watch every World Cup match live on Sky Sports from March 4
The Women’s World Cup, starting March 4, takes place in New Zealand
Captain Heather Knight is confident England have the staying power to make a strong title defense at the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, but admits Australia are rightly the tournament favourites.
England open their campaign against Australia on March 5 in Hamilton, live on Sky Sports, and their conquering Ashes have lost just one ODI since 2018.
Knight, who led England to home victory in the 2017 World Cup, saw his side lose the multi-format Ashes series 12-4, including defeats in all three ODIs, as they failed to win a game on tour. .
“I think five years is a long time in international cricket and obviously Australia have been the standout team during that period and naturally they deservedly come in as favourites,” he said.
“I do not believe it [being defending champions] it hangs at all heavy on our shoulders. I think the tournament we had in 2017 will give a lot of players the confidence that they can deal with the ebbs and flows of the tournament and know how to be successful in the World Cups.
“We’ll try to get experience from that and we’re not too worried about having the tag of obviously being the reigning champions.”
Knight is excited by the capacity within the 15-member squad for the tournament under Australian coach Lisa Keightley, with six other winners from the successful 2017 campaign also in attendance.
England, who enjoyed a successful tour of hosts New Zealand last winter, have warm-up matches against Bangladesh and South Africa before the tournament kicks off on March 4.
“Naturally the team evolves in the World Cup cycles,” he added.
“I think in the last two years with Lisa coming in, the changes that we’ve made as a bowling unit, we’ve really tried to be a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more offensive, looking to take the wickets particularly up front and through that intermediate stage.
“You’re just trying to get your players together who are going to be successful during those five years preparing for a World Cup. In the last two years before a World Cup, you’re trying to really build to peak at that time. .”
Heather Knight (cap), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver (vice-captain), Anya Shrubsole, Lauren Winfield- Hill, Danni Wyatt
Travel reservations: Lauren Bell Mady Villiers
March 5 – Australia (Hamilton)
March 9 – West Indies (Dunedin)
March 14 – South Africa (Mount Maunganui)
March 16 – India (Mount Maunganui)
March 20 – New Zealand (Auckland)
March 24 – Pakistan (Christchurch)
March 25 – Bangladesh (Wellington)
Watch the ICC Women’s World Cup of Cricket live on Sky Sports from Friday 4th March. Coverage of the opening match of the tournament, which hosts New Zealand against the West Indies, begins at 12.30am on Sky Sports Cricket. England vs Australia is live from 12:30am on Saturday 5th March.
