LONDON – Nat Sciver-Brunt has been named the new captain of England’s women’s cricket team, replacing Heather Knight. The announcement was made by the England and Wales Cricket Board, following Knight’s decision to step down in March after a nine-year tenure. This change in leadership is part of a comprehensive restructuring effort after England struggled with performance issues, notably being knocked out in the group stage of last year’s T20 World Cup and losing the multi-format Ashes series to Australia with a score of 16-0.
Sciver-Brunt takes on her new role shortly after former England skipper Charlotte Edwards was appointed head coach earlier this month, succeeding Jon Lewis. Having served as vice-captain for the past three years, Sciver-Brunt brings experience and familiarity to her captaincy role across all three formats of the game. Expressing her gratitude and eagerness, she stated, “I’m really proud to take on the role of captain of the England women’s team. It’s an honor to have been asked by Charlotte, someone I’ve always looked up to. I will try my best to lead this team to success, whilst empowering them to be the best version of themselves.”
Sciver-Brunt, 32, has been a key player for England since her debut in 2013, making 259 appearances across all formats. A participant in the team’s 2017 World Cup victory, she boasts impressive cricket averages—46.47 in Test matches, 45.91 in one-day internationals, and 28.45 in T20s—and has achieved 181 wickets in international play. Her batting prowess is highlighted by her ranking as third in the ICC world batting standings in ODI cricket.
The upcoming summer season sees England hosting a series of ODI and T20 matches against the West Indies starting on May 21. For Sciver-Brunt, the first significant challenge in her tenure will be the 50-over World Cup, scheduled to take place in September in India.