England’s batting sparkled again as the hosts closed on a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals with an 38-run victory over Scotland at Headingley.
Sophia Dunkley ensured injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt was not missed by capitalising on three dropped catches in making 57 on her return to the side.
Alice Capsey stroked 40 and Heather Knight 25 but most impressive was a barnstorming unbroken partnership of 61 from just 21 balls from Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson.
Together they took England from 141-5 after 17 overs to 200-5 after 20 – with Kemp hitting an unbeaten 39 from 16 balls and Gibson an 11-ball 30 not out.
After an edgy chase over Ireland in their second match, this was more reminiscent of England’s performance on the opening night of the tournament when they piled up 219-1 against Sri Lanka.
The Kemp-Gibson pyrotechnics pushed the target beyond Scotland and, despite an admirable effort, they finished on 162-7 – their highest score batting second in T20 internationals.
A win in either of England’s last two matches, against West Indies on Wednesday or New Zealand next Saturday, will likely be enough to secure a top-two finish.
Scotland, who have a win and two defeats, play New Zealand on Tuesday.
South Africa earned their first victory at the Women’s T20 World Cup as they beat Pakistan by two wickets at Edgbaston.
The Proteas were hammered by favourites Australia in their opener, setting them back in a difficult group which also includes 50-over world champions India.
Their win came from a combination of brilliant bowling from veteran all-rounder Marizanne Kapp and shambolic batting from Pakistan’s top order, who collapsed to 29-5 and then 50-8.
Kapp, 36, made an immediate impact with two wickets in the opening over, before some diabolical running between the wickets gifted South Africa three more.
But an inspired half-century from captain Fatima Sana dragged Pakistan up to 126-9 after a stand of 71 for the ninth wicket with Tuba Hassan.
Fatima finished unbeaten on 55 from 38 balls including two sixes in the final over bowled by Nadine de Klerk which conceded 19.
The skipper then kept her side in the game with the ball – finishing with figures of 3-23 – as South Africa made hard work of the chase by throwing away regular wickets.
Their batting needs to improve considerably if they are to challenge India and Australia in the group’s top two, but all-rounder Annerie Dercksen’s 52 and De Klerk’s 37 were enough to get them over the line with just over three overs to spare.
The Proteas have reached the past two T20 World Cup finals but lost both, to Australia in 2023 and New Zealand in 2024. Pakistan have suffered two defeats, having lost to India on Sunday.
Australia and India continued their dominance at the Women’s T20 World Cup as they thrashed Bangladesh and the Netherlands respectively.
Australia, who hammered 2024 runners-up South Africa in their opening match, overpowered Bangladesh with bat and ball at Headingley, racing to their target of 78 with 10.3 overs to spare.
Fast bowler Kim Garth set the early tone, removing both openers as Bangladesh slumped to 27-5.
They barely recovered from that, eventually limping to 77-8 with Sophie Molineux and Ellyse Perry also taking two wickets each.
Australia, who were missing injured opening batter Phoebe Litchfield and all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, raced to their target in style as Georgia Voll hammered 45 not out off 32 balls, including one glorious straight six.
The six-time winners face the Netherlands at Southampton on Saturday and Pakistan at Headingley on Tuesday.
Litchfield is expected to miss both matches, but Australia hope she will be fit for their final group game against India on 28 June.
Gardner missed the Bangladesh game with an ankle sprain and no timeline has been set for her return.
England’s late wobble, in which Kemp was run out for two, comes with the caveat of the confusion caused by Sciver-Brunt’s retirement.
Earlier, faced with a low total, Wyatt-Hodge and Jones continued to attack but chipped catches to the ring for 16 and nine respectively. Capsey was bowled by a fine yorker by Orla Prendergast for five.
Afterwards, Sciver-Brunt and Knight’s composed partnership steered England to the brink of victory, until Knight was pinned lbw by Prendergast for 26.
The only England player who had a real off day was seamer Lauren Bell. She conceded a boundary with the first delivery of Ireland’s innings and was hit for four fours by Louise Little in a final over that cost 17 and boosted Ireland’s score.
In between, Ireland were unable to counter as England mixed spin with seam through the middle. Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets and Dani Gibson and Dean two apiece, as England dominated much of Ireland’s innings of 118-9.
Dean bowled accurately and found turn to induce false shots with 36% of her deliveries.
Ecclestone mixed her pace to have Rebecca Stokell stumped with a quicker ball and Arlene Kelly and Cara Murray gave looping catches and Gibson, who took 2-10 in two overs, had Ireland’s Prendergast bowled via an inside edge for 25.
Ireland, who limped on from 57-5, have now lost 19 T20 World Cup matches from 19, but this performance was more encouraging than Saturday’s defeat by Scotland.
They were good with the ball, but did not have enough runs to defend.
Deepti Sharma took five wickets, and India bowled out Pakistan for 106 to successfully begin their latest quest for a first Women’s Twenty20 World Cup title with a 64-run win over their archrivals.
Sharma spun out the last three wickets in five balls as India defended 170 on Sunday in front of a heavily partisan sellout crowd at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
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Seven months after Sharma starred in India’s victory in the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup with five wickets and 58 runs, she started this T20 World Cup with another standout performance. Shree Charani supported her with 3-21.
Sharma took the first two wickets of Pakistan’s chase, which actually started strong, but by the 10th over, India were on top.
Pakistan needed Muneeba Ali, dropped twice, to go big, but Sharma ran her out on 41 in the 11th over with a great direct hit on the run from backward point.
When Pakistan captain Fatima Sana fell in the next over at 77-5, her team fell away too.
Sharma’s late burst for 5-10 made her the highest wicket-taker in the women’s T20, with 166.
“I always believe in myself, that whenever the right time comes, I will step up,” the prolific all-rounder said.
Deepti Sharma celebrates after taking the wicket of Aliya Riaz [Darren Staples/AFP]
India laboured through their power play, and it took Smriti Mandhana to be dropped on 27 off 24 balls to be inspired by the reprieve to lash out at the Pakistani bowling. She needed only another 10 balls to reach 50.
The left-handed opener was dropped again on 55 and top-edged onto her own helmet, forcing a concussion check. She passed, smacked her ninth boundary, and was out to a great low grab by Sana.
Mandhana’s wicket started a mini-collapse, including captain Harmanpreet Kaur on 36. India started the 19th over at 132-5, hoping for 150.
That’s when Richa Ghosh exploded with 34 off 17 balls and combined with Sharma to take 23 runs off World Cup debutant Tasmia Rubab.
“If it is in my hands, I would love to send [Ghosh] on the first ball,” Kaur said. “But she has a role to play, and she is doing well.”
Sana conceded 15 in the last over, and a 171 target looked steep, given Pakistan’s history against their neighbours.
India have dominated the World Cup rivalry with Pakistan, having beaten them in all meetings across the 20- and 50-over formats.
Continuing the trend set by their men’s team in last year’s Asia Cup, the Indian team did not shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts for a second World Cup in a row, following their meeting in the 50-over tournament in October.
Pakistan’s players walk off as India celebrate their victory at the end of the match [Darren Staples/AFP]
Ferdous flays the Netherlands
Meanwhile, Bangladesh pulled off a record chase on the same pitch to win against the Netherlands in the European side’s first Women’s T20 World Cup match.
Bangladesh reached 141-4 with five balls remaining after having never scored more than 126 in a successful World Cup chase.
Replying to the Netherlands’ 139-8, the South Asian team were taken to the last over even after a great platform set by opening batter Juairiya Ferdous, who hit her second 50 since her T20 debut in January.
Ferdous had 26 of the first 27 runs, and 33 of the 47 in the power play. But the 20-year-old also had two lives. On 7, the third umpire disputably ruled out a catch at deep midwicket by Sterre Kalis, and on 18, Ferdous was dropped.
Both of her sixes flew over the midwicket rope, and by the time she was out for 50 off 33 balls at 67-1 in the eighth over, Bangladesh were almost halfway home.
Juairiya Ferdous shone for Bangladesh [Philip Brown/Getty Images]
Dutch spinners Silver and Heather Siegers and Caroline de Lange (2-27) slowed down Bangladesh, but they were not persevered with.
An unbeaten partnership of 56 between Sharmin Akhter and Shorna Akter clinched Bangladesh’s fourth win in seven T20 World Cups.
Netherlands captain Babette de Leede won the toss, and the one-down batter held her team together with 50 from 45 balls until the 17th over, when she was run out trying for a second run.
Bangladesh’s attack was led by medium-pacers Marufa Akter, 2-31, and Ritu Moni, 1-17 .
On Tuesday, defending champions New Zealand take on Sri Lanka, and hosts England face Ireland.
Smriti Mandhana’s 68-run knock and Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul helped India secure an impressive 64-run win over Pakistan in Group One of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
After topscoring with the bat for Scotland, Kathryn Bryce makes an impact with the ball, taking a superb one-handed catch to remove Ireland’s Alana Dalzell for six in their opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at Old Trafford.
Watch the best shots as Danni Wyatt-Hodge hits an unbeaten 105 to guide England to an 85-run win against Sri Lanka, and give the hosts the perfect start to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Wyatt-Hodge always been one of England’s most fascinating cricketers. She jokes and smiles, but that should never be confused with anything but fierce determination.
As a cricketer, she as resilient as they come.
Wyatt-Hodge made her debut in the same Mumbai ODI as Heather Knight and the pair are now the longest-serving members of this England set-up.
From the World Cup win at Lord’s in 2017 to last year’s Ashes drubbing down under. Together they have witnessed it all.
But while Knight was front and centre nine years ago as captain, Wyatt-Hodge was a bit-part player. She played five matches before others returned from injury for the trophy tilt.
Now, at 35, there is still time for this career’s defining chapter.
While Wyatt-Hodge took her parental leave, debate bubbled about who would be England’s openers when the big time came in this tournament.
Sophia Dunkley’s form faltered and Amy Jones was promoted. The one certainty, despite her absence, was always England’s diminutive right-hander.
Bleary-eyed from the sleepless nights, she made 29 when she did return against India last month in Bristol. Three single-figure scores followed but again England did not waver.
“Some people just need a bit of pressure and a bit of ‘something’ on a game,” said another former team-mate Katherine Sciver-Brunt, who watched on from the commentary box.
“This is exactly the sort of environment she needs.
“As a cricketer you can thrive or you can go within yourself, and she thrives with situations like these.
“Don’t be surprised if she is the highest run-scorer of this tournament now.”
It was also fitting that when Wyatt-Hodge reached three figures, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt was at the other end.
Like Wyatt-Hodge she is a cricketer and mum. Like Wyatt-Hodge she rocked her bat to celebrate reaching three figures at last year’s 50-over World Cup.
Coincidentally both tons were against the same opposition.
“It was really nice to have her in the middle to celebrate that hundred – two mummies,” Wyatt-Hodge said.
“I got a bit nervous at the end when the crowd was cheering me on. Nat said just take a breath and time it. I was really determined.”
As Wyatt-Hodge took the crowd’s acclaim and left the field, it was the jettisoned Dunkley who met her first by the boundary edge.
There is a togetherness building in this squad and Wyatt-Hodge is one of its most popular members.
“It was pretty emotional. A few of the girls said they had a few tears,” she said of those moments returning to the dressing room.
It was Graham Gooch who coined the phrase ‘Daddy Hundred’. This was one of the mummy variety.
After everything, few are more deserving of this moment in the sun than Wyatt-Hodge.
Watch the moment Danni Wyatt-Hodge reaches a century in the opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup as England reach a record-breaking 219 from their 20 overs against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston.
It would be fitting if Ireland’s first win in the T20 World Cup came against the Scots given they denied the Irish a place in the tournament two years ago as they pulled off a shock victory to reach the tournament for the first time.
Lewis said there was “major heartbreak” in the Ireland camp after that sore defeat that forced the squad to have to watch the World Cup from home.
Ireland are in a better place now and come into the tournament off the back of a productive Tri-Nations series in Clontarf where they beat both Pakistan and the West Indies.
“The series was a great success, we’ve got the results behind us. Confidence is high and that’s exactly what you want going into a World Cup,” Lewis added.
Lloyd Tennant’s side are ranked ninth in the world but are in a tough Group B which also has hosts England, holders New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies alongside the Scots.
They will face all five sides with the top two in the group moving through to the semi-finals where they will face the top two from Group A.
Scotland won by 39 runs the last time the two sides met in Nepal in January and Lewis believes getting off to a good start in their first game is “massive” for Ireland in terms of momentum.
“There’s a big rivalry between us and them. They’ve probably got one up on us at the moment after beating us in Nepal. I think we’re looking good and we’re really excited for it.
“They’ve got a new addition in Kirsty Gordon [a former England spinner] which is a boost for them.
“If we get the win, then you never know against England.”
Lancashire’s quarter-final hopes were boosted by a seven-wicket win, their second victory in six games, at Chester-le-Street, while Durham’s fourth defeat in six means they are joined on eight points by a Red Rose team who remain bottom of the North Group.
Livingstone’s second successive Blast half-century – 85 not out off 31 balls with eight sixes – included four successive sixes off Kasey Aldridge’s seam bowling in a sensational innings.
Durham’s openers Graham Clark (49 not out) and Alex Lees (42) also impressed as the home side batted first and reached 128-2 from their 10 overs. England limited-overs quick Luke Wood returned 1-16 from two overs for Lightning, while Livingstone also struck.
After a near two-hour delay through to 20:25 BST, Lees pulled and muscled the contest’s first two balls from the spin of Tom Hartley for four and took four boundaries in all off the opening over.
When Livingstone bowled an attacking Lees, Durham had 94 in the eighth over. But Clark brilliantly scooped Tom Aspinwall for a boundary as the hosts ended well, despite the opener just falling short of 50.
In reply, skipper Keaton Jennings (1) and Ben McDermott (0) fell cheaply either side of a productive second over in which Livingstone pulled Matthew Potts for six. Michael Jones scored 27 from 15 balls before Livingstone was joined by Joe Moores (six not out) as Lancashire reached 130-3 to win with five balls remaining.
On the back of scores of 44 and 81 in his past two matches – both defeats against Yorkshire and Glamorgan – Livingstone went on to break the record for most sixes by a Lancashire batter in T20 history (163), previously held by his coach Steven Croft.
Following his run topping display at the IPL, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is being lined up as India’s youngest player.
Published On 5 Jun 20265 Jun 2026
The 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is likely to be named in India’s T20 squad, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav could get the axe when selectors meet on Saturday.
Sooryavanshi had a stellar Indian Premier League (IPL) for Rajasthan Royals, finishing top of the batting charts with 776 runs, including a hundred and five half-centuries.
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It is understood that the left-handed opener is in line to be picked for two T20 matches in Ireland, followed by five games in England.
He would be the youngest debutant for India in history.
Batting great Sachin Tendulkar played his first Test for India at 16 years and 205 days in 1989.
Sooryavanshi has also been included in a 30-member of probables for the Asian Games in September-October in Japan, Indian media says.
He was named most valuable player in the IPL, despite his team narrowly failing to reach the final.
He also scooped the Orange Cap for leading the batting charts, and was named emerging player of the season, among other prizes.
The India T20 team is expecting a leadership change, with Suryakumar likely to be removed from the captaincy nearly three months after he led the country to World Cup glory at home.
Suryakumar has struggled with the bat, scoring just 242 runs in nine World Cup innings, with his unbeaten 84 against the United States the only significant knock.
Playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, the 35-year-old managed only 270 runs in 13 innings at an average of 20.76. His team ended ninth in the 10-team table.
Indian media have predicted Suryakumar will lose his place in the T20 squad, with insiders calling it a “tough call”.
Suryakumar is likely to be replaced by Shreyas Iyer, who last played a T20 for India in December 2023 but has been an IPL-winning captain.
He led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title in 2024 and then captained Punjab Kings to a runners-up finish in 2025 and into the playoffs this year.
Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma are also in contention for the captaincy, with selectors set to name the squad over the weekend in Mumbai.
Ollie Pope struck his first half-century of this year’s T20 Blast as Surrey coasted past Middlesex in a one-sided South Group derby at The Oval.
Pope, who finished unbeaten on 51 from 33 balls, shared a second-wicket stand of 74 from 44 with Jason Roy (46) as they made short work of their chase to get Surrey’s T20 campaign back on track following successive defeats.
Earlier, Surrey’s seamers always looked on top and restricted their city rivals to a modest 130-7, with Reece Topley (1-21) and Sean Abbott (2-16) the pick of the bunch.
Middlesex all-rounder Luke Hollman, with an unbeaten 31 from 29 balls, top-scored in a losing cause for the second successive game as Surrey triumphed for the 12th time in 14 Blast meetings between the sides.
Although the forecast rain never actually materialised, Sam Curran put the visitors in after winning the toss and was rewarded as his bowlers gave little away, reducing Middlesex to 54-5.
Max Holden was bowled by Jordan Clark as four wickets fell in 25 balls, although Adam Rossington (20) managed to clear the fence twice in the powerplay before miscuing Topley to mid-on.
Former Surrey batter Ben Geddes – having made a duck on his return to the ground in last year’s Blast – was run out for one this time, while Josh de Caires was unlucky to drag a pull off Abbott on to his stumps.
With Leus du Plooy skying Clark (2-31) to mid-on, Middlesex’s prospects of posting a competitive score looked forlorn, despite a valiant partnership of 47 from 39 by Hollman and Ryan Higgins (27).
Riding his luck at times, Hollman landed some valuable blows and, although Sebastian Morgan thumped Tom Curran’s final ball over cover for four, the visitors’ total never looked remotely adequate.
Will Jacks, having survived a low caught and bowled chance to Noah Cornwell in the first over, provided a solid base with 24 from 17 before Tom Helm (1-25) nipped one back to hit the top of the stumps.
But Roy dabbed Eathan Bosch to the third man boundary to take Surrey past 50 at the end of the powerplay and, with an absence of scoreboard pressure, he and Pope were able to be selective with their shots.
Roy missed out on a first fifty of the tournament, spearing Cornwell to mid-on, but Pope stepped up a gear as he dispatched Morgan for two leg-side sixes before slamming a four to reach his half-century and clinch the win.
Alice Capsey hits 82 whilst Heather Knight finishes unbeaten on 70 as England chase down 181, the highest run-chase in women’s T20 history in England, to secure a six-wicket win against India, sealing an impressive 2-1 series win in Taunton.
Sophie Ecclestone has a moment to forget as she misses a simple run-out opportunity on the final ball of India’s innings, as they set England 181 to win in the third and final T20 in Taunton.
Australia captain Sophie Molineux has been passed fit and named in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup.
The 28-year-old all-rounder will lead a 15-strong squad for the tournament in England, with assistance from vice-captains Ash Gardner and Tahlia McGrath.
Fast bowler Lucy Hamilton has been selected for her first international tournament as the six-time champions look to regain the World Cup title after losing in the semi-finals in 2024.
All-rounders Annabel Sutherland and Grace Harris return to the squad having been rested and dropped respectively for the tour of the West Indies in March.
Molineux was appointed to the Australia captaincy in January, replacing the retired Alyssa Healy, and was considered a surprise pick following a career blighted by injury.
She injured her back prior to the tour of the Caribbean, her first away series as captain, where she played exclusively as a batter.
Australia national selector Shawn Flegler had previously confirmed, external that Molineux would not have been considered for a non-bowling role at the World Cup.
“Sophie has already made her mark as captain and built a strong connection with the group over the last couple of tours, so we’re looking forward to seeing what this side can achieve under her leadership,” Flegler said upon the squad’s announcement.
“Darcie Brown was unlucky to miss out but the decision was based on the conditions we’re expecting and the make-up of the side.
“With at least six right-arm pace options in the mix and raw pace expected to be less effective, we opted to go with Lucy Hamilton who offers something different as a left-arm quick.”
Molineux’s side will play warm-up fixtures against South Africa, England and the West Indies before opening their tournament against South Africa on 13 June at Old Trafford.
Uncapped left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman has been included in England’s squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup this summer.
The 18-year-old impressed in England’s intra-squad matches in South Africa this year.
She is one of three left-arm spinners in England’s squad alongside Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith, while off-spinner Charlie Dean is named as vice-captain to Nat Sciver-Brunt.
There is no place for 19-year-old Davina Perrin, who scored a century in last year’s Hundred Eliminator, while veteran batter Tammy Beaumont also misses out.
Leg-spinner Sarah Glenn, a recent mainstay of England’s T20 squads, was not considered for selection as she is recovering from a broken finger and has not played this season.
England start their T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on 12 June at Edgbaston.
