New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has admitted the team has not fulfilled their potential in the years following the iconic 2017 World Cup triumph at Lord’s, saying a major title this summer could redefine the landscape of women’s cricket in the country.
Widely considered contenders in most global tournaments, England have endured a prolonged drought since that historic victory, failing to secure a major ICC title or an Ashes series in the years that followed. As they prepare to host the upcoming T20 World Cup, beginning June 12, the side faces the prospect of completing nearly a decade without silverware unless they can reverse their fortunes.
Reflecting on the period since 2017, Sciver-Brunt acknowledged that the team expected more of itself, especially during transitional phases when younger players were being integrated into the setup.
“Being in those teams and being in those squads, the feeling was that we certainly could have won a bit more. There was quite a large change of personnel and people trying to find their feet in the team, and getting some youngsters into the group where you rely on your senior players to help them along and are trying to accelerate their learning. We would have liked to have won a lot more than we have done, and we’d obviously like that to change this summer,” the England skipper told BBC Sport.
Since taking over the captaincy last year, Sciver-Brunt has overseen a side that reached the semi-finals of the most recent 50-over World Cup but has yet to convert consistency into titles. Over the past several years, England have fallen short in multiple global events, including T20 and ODI World Cups, the Women’s Ashes, and even missed out on a podium finish at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Despite the lack of trophies, structural progress in the domestic circuit, including the professionalisation of the women’s game and the launch of The Hundred, has strengthened the overall ecosystem. However, Sciver-Brunt believes that lifting a major trophy at home could have a far more profound impact.
“A win could change what women’s cricket looks like in this country. Just the carrot of that is enough to motivate anyone really. It certainly could change what this team is about. We didn’t really do it after 2017, but being a consistently good team is something that everyone tries to do. I’m hoping we can be a consistently good team and we’d love to start off with a T20 World Cup win,” Sciver-Brunt said.
England are expected to announce their squad for the tournament soon, with only a handful of players from the 2017 final, including Sciver-Brunt and former captain Heather Knight, likely to feature again. While the core of the squad remains largely unchanged from recent campaigns, the team management faces key decisions on whether to introduce fresh talent into the mix.
Sciver-Brunt defended the team’s approach to preparation, particularly the decision to prioritise internal training camps over domestic match commitments, stressing the importance of high-intensity practice in the absence of sufficient international fixtures.
“We thought it was our best preparation for our bowlers to be bowling against our batters and really be put under pressure to execute their skills. I know that meant that some games were missed, but as a team we found it really valuable to be together. We haven’t played that much cricket over the winter, so being together as a squad and trying to recreate some of those pressure situations was really important,” she stated.
With expectations building ahead of a home World Cup, England now have an opportunity not only to end their title drought but also to reshape the narrative of women’s cricket in the country, something Sciver-Brunt believes could have a lasting impact well beyond the tournament itself.
–IANS
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