With exactly 100 days to go until the tournament kicks off on June 12, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has urged her side to “capture the nation” as they prepare to host the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.
“It’s a home World Cup, and the energy you get from being in front of a crowd that is really behind you is so special. It’s an addictive feeling,” Sciver-Brunt told Sky Sports News. She pointed to the recent successes of other home teams as inspiration — the Lionesses’ Women’s Euros triumphs and the Red Roses’ Rugby World Cup victory — and said she hopes England can be “next in line to do something really special for the country. I’m hoping we capture the nation for the summer.”
The tournament opens at Edgbaston on June 12, when England meet Sri Lanka. Sciver-Brunt was joined at Edgbaston by team-mates Sophia Dunkley and Lauren Filer to mark the 100-day countdown. The ground’s iconic scoreboard has been switched to a 100-day display, with similar countdowns showing up at host venues across the UK and at international cricket landmarks including the Sydney Cricket Ground, Eden Gardens and Gaddafi Stadium.
Dunkley said the milestone makes the event feel tangible. “If I’m lucky enough to be there in that squad, it’s going to be a momentous occasion and hopefully a pinnacle for women’s cricket in this country,” she added.
Filer was equally driven on the tournament objective: “Our target is to bring the trophy home. We’ve seen it done before; England obviously won the 50-over World Cup at home in 2017, and we saw the impact that had on cricket and the country as a whole. That’s what we want to do going into this T20 World Cup. I’m super excited. It’s such a big prospect for the women’s game, and I just think it’s going to push the women’s game even further.”
England will aim to reach the final at Lord’s on July 5.
England’s Women’s T20 World Cup record:
2009: Winners
2010: Knocked out in group stage
2012: Runners-up
2014: Runners-up
2016: Semi-finals
2018: Runners-up
2020: Semi-finals
2023: Semi-finals
2024: Knocked out in group stage
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 tournament director Beth Barrett-Wild highlighted the momentum building around the event: “In just 100 days, England and Wales will host the best female cricketers on the planet, for an unmissable sporting spectacle. With over 115,000 tickets already sold, excitement and momentum is building behind a tournament that’s ready to capture the hearts and minds of the nation and propel women’s cricket firmly into the sporting mainstream.”
Every match of the Women’s T20 World Cup in England will be shown live on Sky Sports Cricket from June 12 to July 5. Matches are available via Sky Sports or as a contract-free stream on NOW.