Lauren Bell, England's leading pace bowler, has urged her side to treat Tuesday's ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Group B fixture against Ireland at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton as a fresh start, despite arriving on the back of a commanding opening victory. The match is scheduled for Tuesday, 16 June 2026.

England's Confident Start to the Campaign

England Women launched their World Cup campaign with an 87-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the tournament opener in Birmingham on Friday, 13 June. Danni Wyatt-Hodge anchored the innings with a breathtaking unbeaten 105, while Amy Jones contributed a brisk 53 off 38 balls. The victory placed England firmly at the top of Group B standings heading into the second round of fixtures.

Ireland, in contrast, suffered a difficult start — going down to Scotland by 49 runs at Old Trafford in Manchester, leaving them searching for their first points of the tournament.

Bell's 'Start From Zero' Mindset

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Bell was measured in her assessment of England's position. 'Yeah, definitely. I think we couldn't have been happier with how Friday night went, especially with it being the opening game. And yeah, it sets us in a good place. But yeah, you've got to go again, start from zero, and yeah, bring the same energy as we had on Friday,' said Bell.

The 25-year-old right-arm medium pacer also dismissed any suggestion that England are thinking about net run rate (NRR) management — a factor that reportedly cost them in the 2024 edition. 'No, no, that's not a conversation. The main thing is just to play a really good brand of cricket and win matches. I think tomorrow night is a reset, and we go again,' she said.

Bell's Form and Role in the Side

Bell spoke positively about her personal form heading into the contest, highlighting her effectiveness in the powerplay overs. 'Yeah, I feel really happy with where I'm at and my role in this team. I'm obviously in it to take powerplay wickets and come back at the death. And yeah, I feel like I'm happy with where I'm at and how it's all going,' she said.

Her role as a powerplay enforcer has been a key component of England's bowling strategy this summer, and a second successive strong performance could further cement her standing in the side.

Preparing for Ireland

Bell acknowledged that England do not face Ireland frequently in ICC events, but stressed that familiarity with individual opponents gives her confidence. 'I've bowled at these players plenty of times. A team like Ireland, you do have to do a little bit of research on who they are and how they might line up, but ultimately, in the same way I prep for any team, I know my strengths, I know my plans, and a lot of the time I don't fare too far off from what I do best,' she said.

This is the second time in as many ICC events that England have been drawn in the same group as Ireland, though competitive meetings between the two sides remain relatively rare at the global stage. With Ireland already under pressure after their opening defeat to Scotland, England will be firm favourites to extend their winning run on Tuesday evening at the Hampshire Bowl.