England Women Cricket Team: History, World Cups and the Ashes
A guide to the England women’s cricket team, with its 1934–35 Test debut, four ODI World Cup wins, the 2009 T20 title and its long Ashes rivalry.
England’s women have one of the longest histories in the international women’s game, and they played a major role in its early development. The team has been a leading force for decades, with success at global events in both the 50-over and Twenty20 formats.
Early history
The Women’s Cricket Association was founded in 1926 and organised the early national structure. England toured Australia in 1934–35 and won the first women’s Test, in Brisbane. The WCA later merged with the England and Wales Cricket Board in 1998, bringing the women’s game under the same governing body as the men’s.
World Cup success
The first Women’s World Cup was held in 1973 in England, two years before the first men’s edition, and England won it. They went on to win in 1993, 2009 and 2017 as well, making four ODI World Cup titles up to the end of 2024. The 2017 final at Lord’s ended in a nine-run win over India in front of a full house.
T20 and the Ashes
England won the inaugural Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009, beating New Zealand in the final at Lord’s. The side has also competed fiercely with Australia in the Women’s Ashes, which has been contested in a multi-format points system in recent years.
Domestic game
The domestic structure has been reshaped in recent seasons. The Hundred, launched in 2021, has featured women’s teams alongside the men’s, and the regional Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy has provided a 50-over competition, named after one of the sport’s most influential figures.
Heyhoe Flint captained England in the 1973 World Cup triumph and later became a prominent administrator and ambassador for the game. This overview does not cover current squads, captaincy, rankings or results after 2024.
Frequently asked questions
How many ODI World Cups has England won?
Up to the end of 2024, England had won four, in 1973, 1993, 2009 and 2017.
When did England win the T20 World Cup?
England won the first Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009, beating New Zealand in the final.
When did the women’s game merge with the ECB?
The Women’s Cricket Association merged with the ECB in 1998.