London [UK], August 19 (ANI): England captain Heather Knight is confident that several of her international teammates will head into October’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in top form, thanks to their impressive performances in the recent Hundred tournament.
As England’s domestic T20 tournament concluded over the weekend, it was no surprise to see international stars shine, particularly as Knight’s London Spirit team edged out Welsh Fire in a closely contested final at Lord’s.
Spinner Sarah Glenn was a standout performer, claiming the second-highest number of wickets in the tournament with 12, solidifying her spot in England’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile, star all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, along with Danni Wyatt, Alice Capsey, and captain Heather Knight, all ranked among the top five run-scorers. This strong showing boosts England’s prospects for this year’s T20 showcase, giving Knight confidence in their pursuit of a second T20 World Cup title.
“I’m really pleased,” Heather Knight said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“It’s great to see the rest of the girls contributing and I’m very excited to meet up again in a couple of weeks,” she said.
“Nat [Sciver-Brunt] has been unbelievable. She’s barely got out and the way she’s played has been awesome. It’s really pleasing going into a World Cup,” Knight noted
“I haven’t probably had the best few Hundreds, so I was really desperate to do well this year. I was really pleased to contribute…I felt quite fresh and really wanted to show what form I’m in,” she added.
All-rounder Danielle Gibson is a potential contender for England’s T20 World Cup squad, having caught the attention of captain Heather Knight with her standout performances during The Hundred.
Gibson, who played a key role in London Spirit’s championship run, claimed eight wickets and further proved her worth by scoring a crucial 22 runs off just nine balls in the final.
Despite making her international debut only after last year’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, the 23-year-old has impressed Knight with her maturity, earning her a strong chance to be included in the squad this time around.
“I forget how young she is,” Knight noted.
“We saw the game she played at Lord’s, a reverse-sweep to go and win the game against Australia last year, and that’s the sort of mindset that we want in that England side: the willingness to take risks, take the game on and express what your talent, and Dani epitomises that,” she added.
“She’s a player that can impact a game in all three facets… she hasn’t gone as well as she would’ve liked with the ball in the last couple of games, but [to have] the character to go, ‘I’m going to go and win this game for us’ was unbelievable. She’s a great ball-striker. She’s got real clarity about how she wants to play and that’s exactly what we want for her. I’m delighted for her,” Knight concluded. (ANI)
