🏏ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026: Group 2: England W vs Sri Lanka W 🏏 - Page 2

Skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt will play as a pure batter at least at the start of the competition, adding to England's combination woes.

"It's coming home" could become a familiar refrain over the next month in England. The phrase belongs to English football and that other World Cup kicking off in North America, but it sits just as comfortably alongside this Women's T20 World Cup. For much of the past decade, England were cast as the principal challengers to Australia's dominance. Yet when Australia failed to win the last World Cup in either format, the trophies ended up in New Zealand and India instead.

A home World Cup, though, offers the promise of renewal. England's fondest World Cup memories have all been forged on home soil. They've won every women's World Cup they've hosted - 1973, 1993, 2009 (T20) and most recently in 2017. In that famous Lord's final, a 24-year-old Nat Sciver-Brunt top-scored before a captivated crowd. Nearly a decade on, she returns as one of the game's defining players and England's captain, charged with leading a new generation and bringing the glory days back home.

Tilly Corteen-Coleman: The 18-year-old left-arm spinner's association with coach Charlotte Edwards stretches back to the England legend presenting her with a Kent U11s cap. Corteen-Coleman may not start the tournament in the first XI, but if called upon, she has already sampled cricket at the highest level. She was a non-travelling reserve for ODI World Cup in India last year, and made an immediate impression on her international debut against New Zealand, taking two wickets and scoring a vital 3* in a one-wicket win. She has turned heads on the domestic circuit too, famously taking four wickets in four balls in county cricket before dismissing Meg Lanning for her maiden wicket in The Hundred, where Edwards was again her mentor at Southern Brave before taking charge of England in 2025.

Heather Knight:The former skipper endured a lean run in five of England's six T20Is leading into the World Cup. Then came Taunton. Alongside Alice Capsey, she struck an unbeaten 70 off 42 balls in a stunning 137-run partnership that powered England to their highest successful chase in a home T20I after they had slipped to 38 for 3. Her experience in the middle order and proven pedigree on the big stage could prove invaluable over the next month.

What's in the news: Nat Sciver-Brunt has yet to feature for England this summer after suffering a calf injury while playing in the One-Day Cup in April. Edwards confirmed that the skipper is fit and will return to her preferred No. 3 position, although she may not be ready to bowl rightaway. That will alter England's balance, and add to their combination woes after a fair few 'headaches' in the batting department.

Where they finished in 2024: After three impressive wins, England's campaign unravelled on the back of one heavy defeat to West Indies. They eventually finished third in a group where the semifinal spots were decided by net run rate.

How have they performed since then: Fairly well, if the Ashes whitewash is kept aside. England swept West Indies and secured series wins over both finalists from the previous World Cup, New Zealand and South Africa. They also avenged last year's narrow 2-3 home defeat to India by winning the most recent series 2-1 on the eve of this tournament.

England will expect to start strongly in Group B and should be favourites in each of their first three matches. Then comes West Indies at Lord's on June 24, a rematch of the fixture that ended in tears in the UAE two years ago. Navigate that hurdle and the final group game against defending champions New Zealand may determine only their semifinal opposition rather than their qualification fate.

A landmark in sight: Sophie Ecclestone needs six wickets to become only the third bowler from a Full Member nation to reach 150 wickets in WT20Is.

Realistic expectation: A place in the final at Lord's on July 5. Anything less at a home World Cup would reinforce the belief that their hold on the No. 2 spot has loosened.

League stage England's schedule: Group B, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026

June 12 Sri Lanka Edgbaston, Birmingham 6:30 PM Local, 11:00 PM IST
June 16 , Ireland Rose Bowl, Southampton, 6:30 PM Local, 11:00 PM IST
June 20, Scotland, Headingley, Leeds, 6:30 PM Local, 11:00 PM IST
June 24 West Indies Lord's, London 6:30 PM Local, 11:00 PM IST
June 27, New Zealand, The Oval, London 6:30 PM Local, 11:00 PM IST

Sri Lanka seeks tangible progress after signs of promise!

Chamari Athapaththu (l) will be central once again to Sri Lanka's aspirations.

Sri Lanka arrive at the T20 World Cup on the back of five straight wins, albeit on the slower surfaces of Bangladesh and the Caribbean. Their limited experience in SENA conditions - just three matches in New Zealand in this two-year cycle - makes them one of the tournament's trickier sides to assess. A youthful squad, without veteran spinner Inoka Ranaweera, adds another layer of intrigue as they look to break new ground in a competition where they have never progressed beyond the group stage.

Players to keep an eye on:

Malki Madara: The 25-year-old right-arm pacer made her debut in Christchurch in March last year and immediately impressed with a three-wicket haul. She was also among the wickets on the tour of Caribbean earlier this year and will be key with the ball in English conditions.

Harshitha Samarawickrama: The 27-year-old, who was famously the Player of the Match in that Asia Cup final victory over India a few years ago, comes into this tournament on the back of solid runs in her last three T20Is. And she will be a crucial cog in that middle-order wheel, especially if Sri Lanka find themselves in any early trouble in conditions where the new ball can do a bit.

What's in the news: There's been a late change to Sri Lanka's squad, with 17-year-old ambidextrous wristspinner Shashini Gimhani ruled out due to a lower-back injury. Uncapped seamer Chethana Vimukthi was drafted in as her replacement, adding another pace option to the squad ahead of their opening game against England.

Where they finished in 2024: Sri Lanka ended their campaign at the bottom of a challenging group that featured Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan, failing to secure a win in any of their four fixtures.

How have they performed since then:In this World Cup cycle, Sri Lanka won six of 14 matches, with two washouts.

The big game: How they fare against the West Indies, often boom or bust, could eventually have a say in deciding the top-two semifinalists from the group, and will be one match to keep an eye on.

A record in sight:Chamari Athapaththu needs 248 runs to get to 4000 T20I runs and become only the fourth women's player to the landmark

Realistic expectation:After a winless campaign at the last World Cup, Sri Lanka will be eager to put a few victories on the board this time while giving their next generation valuable exposure on the big stage.

League stage Sri Lanka's schedule:

June 12, England, Birmingham 6:30 PM Local, 11:00 PM IST
June 16, New Zealand, Rose Bowl, Southampton, 2:30 PM Local, 7:00 PM IST
June 21, West Indies County Ground, Bristol10:30 AM Local, 3:00 PM IST
June 23, Ireland County Ground, Bristol 2:30 PM Local, 7:00 PM IST
June 26, Scotland, Old Trafford, Manchester, 6:30 PM Local, 11:00 PM IST