By The Telegraph (World News) | Created at 2024-10-05 13:20:33 | Updated at 2024-10-05 15:28:12
2 hours ago
England head into the Twenty20 World Cup full that emotion that both comforts and haunts many a player and fan: hope. But for once this juicy bit of positivity is well founded.
Semi-finalists in South Africa last year, England are on a roll having won all eight T20s this summer, while Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone will spearhead their bid for a first title since 2009.
It is difficult to look past six-time champions Australia, who are targeting a fourth straight crown, but a silver lining for England is they won the T20 portion of last year’s Ashes series 2-1.
“England have got all bases covered,” former England spinner Alex Hartley told the BBC Test Match Special podcast.
“This is the best chance they’ve had of winning it for a long time.”
“England’s camp is very confident. The only thing that could let them down is their own minds,” said former England fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
“They will be challenged by Bangladesh because of their spinners. West Indies have the world’s best T20 player in Hayley Matthews - she can win a game by herself - and they’ve got Deandra Dottin back, and as a team with nothing to lose they are a dangerous prospect.
“England are smarter, there’s no reason they should not finish top, but there are no walkovers. Reaching the semis has never been England’s problem, it’s more how to handle it when they get there.”
Bangladesh stand in their way of a good, fast start. The South Asians beat Scotland by 16 runs in their opening match on Thursday and head into this match on a high.
Stay here for all the action with the first ball set to be bowled at 3. Can England end their 15-year wait for global T20 glory? Can England underline their tag as one of the favourites? We’re about to find out.
