Nat Sciver-Brunt says she hopes the Women’s T20 World Cup final was not her last World Cup. England lost the title match, but it was a special day for her as she walked out for the anthems with her son, Theo. She won the ODI World Cup at Lord’s in 2017.
She said she has not thought about when the next tournament is, and that family support, along with that of team-mates and fans, explains the strong emotions.
Comeback from injury
A calf injury before the event made her miss three group matches. She returned for the semi-final against South Africa and scored 75 from 47 balls, sharing a 133-run stand with former captain Heather Knight after England had fallen to 23/3.
She called managing an injury during a World Cup hard and said she stayed positive around the group. She said she surprised herself with her comeback and was proud of it.
A memorable campaign
England reached the final unbeaten at home. They opened with a convincing win over Sri Lanka in Birmingham, helped by a century from Danni Wyatt-Hodge, and Sciver-Brunt called that match a highlight. The 33-year-old also pointed to 2017, saying some people who watched from the stands are now playing for England, and that this event may inspire others.
Strike rate in the final
England scored 150/4 in the final, Sciver-Brunt unbeaten on 58 from 53 and Freya Kemp 44 not out from 28. Australia chased it down through Beth Mooney’s 64 and Phoebe Litchfield’s 48.
Sciver-Brunt said she would have liked a higher strike rate, having aimed to bat through the innings while finding boundaries, and felt she missed a few chances. She said she believed she could accelerate later, and that Alice Capsey and Kemp batting positively at the other end helped.
England now turn to the series against India, which begins with the first women’s Test at Lord’s on July 10.
