Heather Knight eyes lasting World Cup impact beyond England's 2017 win

Heather Knight believes the 2026 T20 World Cup on home soil could redefine women's cricket in the UK, building on their 2017 triumph at Lord's.

Knight's 2017 victory legacy Heather Knight, aged 35, led England to victory in the 2017 T20 World Cup at Lord's and now turns her focus to this year's tournament, commencing in 50 days with a match against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston. She reflects that the infrastructure in 2017 was insufficient to fully leverage the win. 'There probably wasn't the structure in place to really maximise it in 2017,' she shared. Knight notes the dramatic progress since then, with professional domestic cricket now established and women in sport becoming far more visible. ## Domestic growth and professional strides Since 2017, Knight has witnessed a complete transformation in women's cricket domestically, marked by the launch of professional county structures and The Hundred competition. Despite this progress, England have not claimed an ICC trophy in the intervening years. Their 2018 T20 and 2022 50-over finals ended in losses to Australia, while South Africa knocked them out in the 2023 and 2025 semi-finals. The 2024 T20 World Cup saw England exit at the group stage after a defeat by West Indies, but Knight remains optimistic about the recent county system overhaul paying dividends. ## Structural investment and future outlook Knight emphasizes that proper investment and robust structures are key to success, citing the recent domestic improvements as proof. 'We’ve seen in this country over the last few years how investment and having the right structures, [and] The Hundred, the domestic set-up is in a really good spot now. So if you get that right, the rest will follow,' she explains. She credits the 2017 win with shifting perceptions about what women's cricket could achieve when properly funded and organized. ## Board's long-term strategy pays off Gemma Barton, Head of Strategic Growth at the England and Wales Cricket Board, highlights the organization's commitment to building a lasting legacy from the 2017 win. 'We aren’t waiting until the tournament to find out if England win to see whether we can create legacy. From that point onwards, we have then started to see those foundations grow and that base build,' she states. Barton points out that 24,000 women’s fixtures were held across England and Wales last year, reflecting the steady growth from the board’s strategic planning. ## Knight's World Cup future uncertain A veteran of 10 World Cups, Knight refrains from declaring whether this will be her final ICC tournament, a thought she considered before past events. 'I put a lot of pressure on myself to try and perform because I thought 'this might be my last one, I really want to do well', and it wasn’t particularly helpful. And that’s certainly something I’ve taken into the last two or three years,' she recalls. Knight now focuses on enjoying the moment and contributing as much as possible, leaving her future open-ended. ## Home World Cup chance to inspire With England's football and rugby teams recently tasting home success, Knight sees the 2026 T20 World Cup as an opportunity to motivate a new wave of cricketers. 'If we can be successful and perform really well, we can leave a legacy of women’s cricket in this country. I think that’s a huge privilege and a huge opportunity that we’re really excited for,' she says. Knight expresses excitement about playing at home, drawing inspiration from the success of the Lionesses and Red Roses in recent years.