England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has acknowledged that her team failed to capitalise on momentum following their historic 2017 World Cup victory at Lord's, admitting the side expected far more silverware in the intervening years. Speaking ahead of the T20 World Cup beginning 12 June, Sciver-Brunt suggested that a major title triumph this summer could fundamentally alter the trajectory of women's cricket in England.

Since that iconic 2017 triumph, England have endured a prolonged title drought spanning nearly a decade, failing to secure an ICC World Cup or an Ashes series. The side reached the semi-finals of the most recent 50-over World Cup but has struggled to convert consistency into championship silverware, falling short across multiple global events including T20 and ODI World Cups, the Women's Ashes, and missing a podium finish at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Sciver-Brunt assessment

Reflecting on the post-2017 period, the England skipper told BBC Sport: "Being in those teams and being in those squads, the feeling was that we certainly could have won a bit more. There was quite a large change of personnel and people trying to find their feet in the team, and getting some youngsters into the group where you rely on your senior players to help them along and are trying to accelerate their learning. We would have liked to have won a lot more than we have done."

Sciver-Brunt took over the captaincy last year and has overseen a transitional phase where younger players were integrated alongside established names. She acknowledged that the integration process, while necessary, coincided with missed opportunities in major tournaments.

Why a home T20 title matters

Despite the lack of recent trophies, structural gains in the domestic circuit—including professionalisation of the women's game and the launch of The Hundred—have strengthened the overall ecosystem. However, Sciver-Brunt believes a major trophy at home could have outsized impact beyond statistics.

"A win could change what women's cricket looks like in this country. Just the carrot of that is enough to motivate anyone really. It certainly could change what this team is about. We didn't really do it after 2017, but being a consistently good team is something that everyone tries to do. I'm hoping we can be a consistently good team and we'd love to start off with a T20 World Cup win," she stated.

Squad composition and preparation

England are expected to announce their tournament squad imminently, with only a handful of survivors from the 2017 final—including Sciver-Brunt and former captain Heather Knight—likely to feature. The team management faces key decisions on whether to introduce fresh talent alongside the core of recent campaigns.

Sciver-Brunt defended the team's preparation strategy, particularly the decision to prioritise internal training camps over domestic match commitments. "We thought it was our best preparation for our bowlers to be bowling against our batters and really be put under pressure to execute their skills. We haven't played that much cricket over the winter, so being together as a squad and trying to recreate some of those pressure situations was really important," she explained.

The path forward

With a home World Cup looming, England now have an opportunity to end nearly a decade without a major title and reshape the narrative of women's cricket domestically. Success this summer could have ramifications far beyond the tournament itself, potentially accelerating growth and investment in the women's game across the country.