England duo back team to win T20 World Cup title
Kate Cross and Tammy Beaumont have backed England to triumph at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024.
Despite missing out on the squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, England duo of Tammy Beaumont and Kate Cross believe that the team can bring home the title.
Barring a drawn series to Ireland earlier in the month, England have been dominant in the lead up to the tournament, beating New Zealand (twice), Pakistan and India.
Their biggest triumph probably came after the Women's T20 World Cup in 2023, when they beat the Aussies 2-1 in the Women's Ashes T20Is.
Watch the best of Nat Sciver-Brunt at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023
All-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt starred for England at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023
"England, on their best day, can beat any team," Kate Cross said on Sky Sports News.
"I think the Ashes that we had last summer was a really good display of what we look like when we’re at our best. The girls have been out there in the UAE for about 10 days now so they've had a brilliant preparation.
"There's still a few games and days before the first game but I'm sure they'll go into it full of confidence."
While Cross missed out, England have a strong bowling attack for the upcoming tournament in UAE with Sophie Ecclestone leading the spin department that is expected to be key in these conditions.
Watch Sophie Ecclestone's impressive performance against West Indies in the last tournament
Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets to restrict West Indies to 135 in England's opening ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 match.
The squad is rich in experience too with quite a few senior players and Beaumont believes their presence could help the younger lot.
"You look at Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones, I think they're really consistent and play the way that the team wants to play, and that allows the young players to go out there, express themselves and take the game on," Beaumont said.
"Someone like Sophie Ecclestone too, she is a massive senior player having featured so many times and is the number one [T20] bowler in the world."
England are eyeing a Women's T20 World Cup title for the first time since 2009, the inaugural edition when they emerged winners.
They open their campaign against Bangladesh on October 5 with matches against South Africa, Scotland and West Indies to follow.