Waterloo Bridge was transformed into a live cricket pitch for the first time in its history yesterday, as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 launched in spectacular fashion, bringing together all 12 team captains above the River Thames. But it was the press conference that really caught my attention.
Nat Sciver – Brunt, England’s skipper captured the mood of the whole day perfectly, “playing cricket on Waterloo Bridge isn’t something you get to do every day. It’s a special way to kick off a home tournament, that’s for sure! The excitement has been building for such a long time now and the squad is ready.”
But Sciver-Brunt’s ambition runs deeper than the fun of the Carnival. She has spoken openly about what it would mean to lift the trophy at Lord’s, “some of the girls who watched 2017 from the crowd are now in the team, which is pretty special. Hopefully we can recreate that. In my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t be able to imagine the feeling of lifting that trophy above my head at Lord’s but I’ll dream about it and imagine it.” Coming back from injury has been hard for Nat, and time will tell how her world cup unfolds.
For Harmanpreet, she had a unique attitude to being up there on stage, one of I’m not answering questions, mixed with knowing the struggle of negative media attention. That’s the thing about Harmanpreet. She plays for a billion people, and she knows it. When one journalist dared to ask her about retirement, her answer was filled with the kind of kickback you’d expect… “do you think I should stop?”
“No,” he replied.
“Then why you asking?” No one is asking that again, but she also reflected on what winning the 50 over world cup has meant for girls in India. “We have seen that during last year’s World Cup when we won. After that, we have seen a massive change. Many girls, they’re coming to play cricket, and I think when we do well a lot of things change, and hopefully we play our best cricket and try to make an impact on women’s cricket.”
Sophie Molineaux was for many, a surprise choice for captaining the Australia side, as injuries have plagued her performance for some time, and national selector Shawn Flegler noted that her ability to remain comfortable in an all-rounder, all format will be watched closely. Australia have won this trophy six times. Sophie Molineux knows that record is not a guarantee, it’s a standard to be earned again. And she came to London paying honest respect to the opposition, starting with the defending champions. “The New Zealand girls are in great shape,” she said. “I saw that they made 200-odd yesterday in the warm-up match. They are always a really competitive team whenever you come up against them, especially in tournament play. They always lift big in tournaments. So if we were to come up against them, I’m sure it would be a really close game.”
It’s heartbreaking to think back on but South Africa have finished runners-up in the last two editions of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Death, taxes and half a century scorer, Laura Wolvaardt is here with unfinished business, and she’s backed herself with two big returning weapons in Shabnim Ismail and Dane van Niekerk.
“I think someone like Shabs, since she retired, we’ve sort of been lacking that really fast bowler in our lineup and someone who can make a bit of an impact throughout the game. So I think it’s sort of a no-brainer bringing her back. Same with Dane, she also offers so much from a leadership point of view. It’s great having them both back and hopefully we’re able to go one step further this time.”
“One step further.” Those three words say everything and it’s one we hold close to our hearts.
Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana, a dynamic pace-bowling skipper, which is rare and exciting in the women’s game was full of energy at the Carnival, taking selfies with fans and hitting shots on the bridge, but her words after carried real weight. “If we play good cricket in this tournament, I think in Pakistan, people will be supporting us, I think the ICC takes a lot of initiative about women’s cricket, so everyone knows about the game in Pakistan.” When asked whether the women’s team receives a lot of support from the men’s team and the board, Fatima was candid, “some do and others don’t.”
Everything is on the line for Pakistan women’s cricket right now. And their captain is ready.
Scotland are no longer just happy to be here and their captain Kathryn Bryce acknowledged that shift openly and confidently. “I think it’s important to acknowledge the change in expectations but I think with that comes different feelings and pressures on yourself. Everyone has got such high quality within their team, so you just kind of got to focus on yourself, your own processes turn up, apply the way that you want to play, and go out there knowing that you’ve done everything that you want to do.” Scotland playing with purpose and belief. Women’s cricket is bigger for it.
And finally, perhaps the story that captured the most hearts on the day, Netherlands captain Babette de Leede, leading her country into their very first Women’s T20 World Cup. “It is really cool to be here for our first time, we’ve never been to a T20 World Cup and we hope to inspire a lot of girls back home, and especially because it’s so close to our home country. We expect a lot of people showing up at the games as well.” Babette also shared the sacrifices her players have made as players who don’t have professional contracts, many have taken time off work, delayed their studies and even quit their job to be there. Tears and smiles at qualification. That’s what this sport does to people. That’s why it matters.
The Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 runs from 12 June to 5 July across seven venues in England, with the final at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Twelve nations. Twelve captains with fire in their eyes and one trophy. Yesterday on Waterloo Bridge, women’s cricket announced itself to London and to the world. The real show starts in a few days’ time, don’t miss this edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup! Catch all the fixtures right here.
