Meet England Women's T20 World Cup squad: Kate Cross reveals all about each player

Summary

England to play in Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa
Commentary on every game, plus in-play clips and text updates on the BBC Sport website and app
All stats correct as of 31 January

Live Reporting

Ffion Wynne and Callum Matthews

Women's T20 World Cup beginspublished at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
Image source, BBC Sport
The Women's T20 World Cup gets under way on 10 February in South Africa.
Australia head in to the competition as strong favourites, having won five of the past six editions.
But Heather Knight's England are also in good shape, buoyed by a recent clean sweep against West Indies and under the stewardship of new coach Jon Lewis.
England face West Indies in their first game on 11 February, with India, Ireland and Pakistan making up the rest of their group.
Lewis has selected a 15-player squad for the tournament.
England through the eyes of Kate Crosspublished at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
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The last T20 World Cup, held before the coronavirus pandemic, saw England exit in the semi-finals.
Heather Knight's side have plenty they want to put right from that disappointment.
Since then, some players have retired (farewell, Anya Shrubsole) and others have burst on to the scene (hello, Alice Capsey).
But who exactly are the players aiming to bring the trophy home?
No Balls podcast co-host Kate Cross joins BBC Sport to give us exclusive insight into the squad - and Alex Hartley chips in too, of course.
England aim to end 14-year waitpublished at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
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The last time England won the women's T20 World Cup was in the inaugural tournament in 2009.
It wasn't quite the days of female cricketers playing in skirts, but Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas was number one - and schoolkids were probably still sending it to each other via Bluetooth.
Charlotte Edwards was captain, and just one player from that side is still going in 2023 - fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
Our introduction to the current squad starts with Edwards' successor, Heather Knight. We'll then work through the other 14 players in the squad in the sort of order you'll see them bat in during a game.
Heather Knightpublished at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
Age: 32 | Born: Rochdale | Role: Captain & middle-order batter
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England's rock, their leader and most consistent batter. Heather Knight's importance to this England side was most glaring when she wasn't in it last summer, when an inexperienced side slumped to a 3-0 ODI defeat at home to India.
In her first year as captain, Knight led England to World Cup glory on a memorable day at Lord's against India in 2017, but the T20 title is one that has so far eluded her.
During the last competition in 2020, Knight became the first England player - male or female - to score an international century in all three formats of the game.
A more traditional batter, not particularly known for her power, Knight is the glue that holds England's line-up together in the middle order.
Knight was offered a place at Cambridge University but turned it down so she could have more time to play cricket, instead opting to study in Cardiff.
The record-breakerpublished at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
Heather Knight in three pictures
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After making her 50-over debut in March 2010, Heather Knight had been capped across all three formats by January 2011. One of her earliest career highlights came in just her second Test match in 2013. The right-hander made 157 in a seven-hour innings as England drew against Australia and ultimately ended up regaining the Ashes.
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In June 2016 Knight became England captain after Charlotte Edwards stood down. Just over a year later she led her side to World Cup glory with a nine-run win over India at Lord's. Knight scored 364 runs in the tournament at an average of 45.50.
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In February 2020 Knight made history by becoming the first woman to score a century in all three formats of the game after hitting 108 not out in the T20 World Cup against Thailand. She is still the only woman to achieve the feat. She was also the first English player to do it with Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan both achieving it since.
'The captain of our ship'published at 20:44 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
Kate Cross
England bowler on Heather Knight
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She is our leader, she is the captain of our ship.
I think the fact that she got belted in the face by a cricket ball the other day shows her commitment to the cause and to the team. She is actually a lot more relaxed in the last few months as well, we’ve seen a different and more fun side to her.
Obviously captaincy has its strains and we’re trying to help her to... not exactly enjoy cricket again, but you can often forget the reason you started playing the game when you’re playing internationally and we’re all at our best when we’re having fun.
But she’s the integral cog in our team and she always leads by example on and off the field.
Quickfire questions with Heather Knightpublished at 20:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
What would your walkout song be?
The Rhythm of the Night by Corona and Sean Finn
What would your Death Row meal be?
Scallops to start, then beef wellington and sweet potato fries
Who is your sporting hero?
Marcus Trescothick
Who would make the best room-mate?
Katherine Sciver-Brunt
Summer or winter?
Summer
Tea or coffee?
Tea
Sophia Dunkleypublished at 20:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
Age: 24 | Born: Lambeth | Role: Top-order batter
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A dynamic top-order batter, Sophia Dunkley made history in 2021 when she became the first black woman to play Test cricket for England.
She was raised in north London and was introduced to cricket by playing with a neighbour on their cul-de-sac.
Dunkley went on to play for Middlesex, and established herself in England's academy as a teenager, impressing as a powerful batter and useful leg-spinner and was seen as a future international star from a young age.
Dunkley played in the World Cup in 2018, where England lost to Australia, but has since moved up the order to open the batting in T20s where her high strike-rate in the powerplay has proven invaluable.
The history makerpublished at 20:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
Sophia Dunkley in three pictures
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Sophia Dunkley came into the England side for the 2018 T20 World Cup. At 20 she was one of the younger members of the squad and found herself in the middle order, while also able to bowl some leg spin. She struggled for opportunities to impress in that tournament but made her mark when she shared a then-record seventh-wicket stand of 58 in a women's T20 international with Anya Shrubsole against West Indies later that year.
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Dunkley continued to feature for the T20 side under Lisa Keightley, but it was the summer of 2021 when she really introduced herself. She became the first black woman to play Test cricket for England when she lined up against India, and impressed with a steely 74 not out. A one-day international debut followed later in June too.
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By the summer of 2022 Dunkley had become a mainstay of the England team and had found herself towards the top of the order. She was moved to number three in ODIs and a maiden century soon followed against South Africa, while she is attempting to make the top of the order her home in T20s with her aggressive and powerful style.
'The socialite of the group'published at 20:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
Kate Cross
England bowler on Sophia Dunkley
Dunks is very, very good fun. She’s hilarious. She’s one of those people that you could just watch all day because she’s so funny.
But she’s very caring too, we’ve got a very caring group.
She’s started to find her feet a little bit more in the team now, she’s doing so well and has nailed down that opening spot.
She plays shots that I never thought were possible, and she’s so powerful. I think she’s only just starting to realise how good she is as well, which is brilliant for us.
She’s still one of our babies in the squad really but she does feel like a senior member at the same time. She loves to socialise, always organising our events.
She was our social sec but she’s taken a back seat this tour and given it to me which is a bit annoying! She’ll always be out and about having coffees, the socialite of the group.
Quickfire questions with Sophia Dunkleypublished at 20:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 February 2023
What would your walkout song be?
Feel So Close by Calvin Harris
What is your favourite film?
Lion King
What would your Death Row meal be?
A bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries
Who is your sporting hero?
Roger Federer
Tea or coffee?
Coffee
What is your favourite biscuit?
Chocolate digestive
Danni Wyattpublished at 17:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Age: 31 | Born: Stoke-on-Trent | Role: Opening batter
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Another of England's senior players, top-order batter Danni Wyatt made her debut in 2010 and has been a regular in white-ball sides since.
An explosive hitter, she has played numerous roles in the batting order but recently established an exciting opening partnership with Sophia Dunkley.
Wyatt was a member of England's 2017 World Cup-winning squad, and is the only English woman to have scored two T20 international centuries.
She plays for Southern Brave in The Hundred, and has played in Australia's Big Bash League for Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat.
The World Cup-winning enigmapublished at 17:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Danni Wyatt in three pictures
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Danni Wyatt made her England debut in both white-ball teams in 2010 and has been a regular in the T20 side since. She fell out of favour in the 50-over team in 2014 and 2015 but regained her place and was part of the 2017 World Cup-winning squad and has played regularly in both formats since.
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Wyatt became the first England woman to hit a T20 international century when she made 100 against Australia in Canberra in November 2017. She scored a second against India in March 2018, with her 124 making her just the second woman with two T20 international tons after West Indies' Deandra Dottin. That century led England to a then-record chase of 199 too.
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Wyatt has been up and down the order, particularly in ODI cricket. She registered her second 50-over century in the 2022 World Cup semi-final against South Africa with a masterful 129 after opening the batting, but found back herself back in the middle order last summer.
'Been there, done it all'published at 17:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Kate Cross
England bowler on Danni Wyatt
She’s another one who has been there and done it, played at all the World Cups.
I think the partnership between herself and Dunks at the top of the order probably resonates with what they’re like off the pitch as well because they are best mates and that really helps them.
They always come off the pitch saying "How do you think we communicated today?" and chatting, they’re thick as thieves.
'In her own little world'published at 17:53 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on Danni Wyatt
Danni is just hilarious. Another one you could just watch all day. She’s in her own little world but it’s a world you’d really love to be a part of.
Saying that, she’s definitely more switched on than she comes across – she’s smart.
You do feel like she’s the baby of the group because she’s so little and tiny! But she’s played a lot of cricket so she’s got a senior role to play.
Quickfire questions with Danni Wyattpublished at 17:52 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
What would your walkout song be?
Me and You by Nero
What is your favourite film?
Taken
What would your Death Row meal be?
Corn beef pie with peas and gravy
What would be your dream holiday?
Mykonos
Who is your sporting hero?
Cristiano Ronaldo
Who would make the best room-mate?
Katherine!
If you were having a dinner party, which three people would you love to invite?
Rebel Wilson, David Beckham and Nana Baggaley (her gran)
Summer or winter?
Summer
Tea or coffee?
Tea
What is your favourite biscuit?
Malted milk with chocolate topping
Lauren Winfield-Hillpublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Age: 32 | Born: York | Role: Top-order batter & wicketkeeper
Image source, BBC Sport/Getty images
Lauren Winfield-Hill had a tricky start to 2022, with inconsistent performances in an England shirt resulting in her being dropped after the 50-over World Cup.
But she responded with a phenomenal season domestically, playing starring roles in Oval Invincibles' Hundred win and leading Northern Diamonds to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
A reliable opening batter, Winfield-Hill forced her way back in to the set-up for England's white-ball tour of West Indies in December, and is also Amy Jones' back-up wicketkeeper.
She is married to rugby league player Courtney Winfield-Hill.
The comeback kidpublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Lauren Winfield-Hill in three pictures
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Lauren Winfield-Hill made her England debut in the white-ball formats in 2013, before earning a first Test cap in the same year.
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She was at the top of the order during England's 2017 World Cup-winning campaign, but struggled at times, only scoring 117 runs at an average of 16.71.
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Despite a barren run of form in both white-ball formats, England stuck with the right-hander all the way to the 2020 T20 World Cup. However, she found herself down the order in that tournament and lost her place in- T20 international cricket at that point. She continued to play in 50-over cricket, through to the 2022 World Cup, but found herself out of that team too after 31 innings without a half-century. She is back in the T20 squad though, after impressing in The Hundred for double champions Oval Invincibles.
'Epitomises northern grit'published at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Kate Cross
England bowler on Lauren Winfield-Hill
A fighter. That resilience to come back. She lost her England contract, had a really rough start to the year but has come back into the squad after an unbelievable summer.
It’s that proper northern grit, isn’t it? Other than Katherine [Sciver-Brunt], she is the most northern. She epitomises that spirit.
But she is great to have in the group and leads by example, she works so hard. And she’s come back in, but losing the contract has not bothered her.
She is the same Loz that we have always known for the last 10 years.
There probably aren’t enough compliments to give her really, she is a person you want in your team because she does so much behind the scenes that you won’t always see.
'She's a belter'published at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023
Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on Lauren Winfield-Hill
To have that mental capacity to have those lows, and then the highs again, to be that resilient is such a credit to her.
She’s also someone you want to go out for lunch and do things with, she’s great fun.
She is one of those people you can do anything with: coffee, lunch, wine, or yoga, whatever. She’s a belter.