Sciver-Brunt eyes 'Euros moment' in home World Cup

Birmingham – England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt believes the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil offers the squad a once-in-a-generation chance to replicate the euphoria that surrounded the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph and the Red Roses’ Rugby World Cup success last year.

Speaking at Edgbaston exactly 100 days before the tournament’s curtain-raiser on 12 June, Sciver-Brunt said the memories of watching those teams lift silverware in front of packed English stadiums had become a driving force for her side.

“To experience the things they experienced, winning their tournaments, is just amazing,” she told BBC Sport. “As a women’s sport fan, putting myself in their shoes at that time was really special. To have the chance to do that this summer, it’s almost unthinkable where you can go with it. Women’s cricket can go wherever it wants to after this tournament. I’m hoping we get a Euros moment, almost.”

England have never lost a global event they have staged, winning all four previous World Cups hosted on home turf – one T20 title and three 50-over trophies, the most recent coming in 2017. The 2024 edition, expanded to 12 teams for the first time, will span 33 matches across seven venues, climaxing in a showpiece final at Lord’s on 5 July. Organisers have already sold 115,000 tickets and are targeting an overall attendance of 270,000 – more than double the record set at the 2020 tournament in Australia.

Scotland and Ireland will both face England in the group stage, while India have been pencilled in for the second semi-final at The Oval on 30 June, a 14:30 BST start designed to maximise the sub-continental television audience. Tournament director Beth Barrett-Wild defended the scheduling, insisting both last-four games will be played at the same ground under identical conditions. “We’re comfortable with that balance,” she said, acknowledging the need to weigh fairness against commercial reach.

Off the field, geopolitical tension has already forced England to cancel a planned training camp in Abu Dhabi this week because of the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran. Sciver-Brunt admitted the squad is now scouting alternative bases to complete the final phase of a truncated winter programme that has seen the national team play no competitive cricket since October’s 50-over World Cup semi-final exit.

The extended break has left fast bowler Lauren Filer, 25, searching for match rhythm. She has not played since last summer and has used the hiatus to remodel her run-up in a bid to avoid injury and push towards the coveted 80 mph mark – a speed regarded as extreme pace in the women’s game. Filer considers herself and Australia’s Tayla Vlaeminck the quickest bowlers on the circuit and hopes the technical tweaks will allow her to breach the barrier consistently.

“I would love someone to hit 80 mph consistently,” Filer said. “It would be such a great prospect for the women’s game and I do think it can happen.”

With tickets selling briskly and momentum building across the country, England enter the summer knowing a victorious campaign could propel women’s cricket into the mainstream spotlight already claimed by football and rugby union. For Sciver-Brunt and her teammates, the opportunity to author their own iconic home victory has never felt more tangible.