Heather Knight, the former England women’s cricket captain, is determined to make a strong comeback for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup after her summer was disrupted by a serious hamstring tendon injury.
The 34-year-old sustained the injury during England’s T20 series against the West Indies, which forced her out of the upcoming India series and The Hundred, as well as left her on crutches for two weeks.
Despite the setback, Knight is optimistic about her recovery, stating, “That World Cup is what I’m aiming for, it’s what I’ve got my sights set on. There’s always bumps in the road with rehab but hopefully everything goes smoothly, and I can be back early September and get a bit of cricket in before the World Cup.
“Things are tracking pretty well to hopefully be fit for that. It’s healing well. We’re not gonna rush things. It’s a pretty gnarly injury: I ripped off the tendon quite well from the bone, so I have to be a little bit careful coming back.”
While Knight’s rehabilitation has been “extremely dull,” she is finding ways to make the most of her time away from cricket. She has planned a trip to Switzerland, where she will support the Lionesses as they begin their European Championship title defense in Zurich.
Knight’s recent months have been challenging, not only due to her injury but also after stepping down as England captain following a difficult Ashes series in Australia. Reflecting on the transition, she said, “The Ashes was pretty tough; I was sad that things had ended like that, but the ECB decided they wanted me to have a fresh start and that was their decision and completely fine.”
The captaincy has now passed to Nat Sciver-Brunt, but Knight remains highly motivated to continue her international career. England’s new era under Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain and Charlotte Edwards as head coach got off to an ideal start. They swept the West Indies series, fulfilling the head coach’s emphasis on “winning games.” However, a crucial Test against India now awaits.
Looking ahead, Knight is also playing a pivotal role in promoting cricket at the grassroots level. Alongside men’s captain Ben Stokes, she has lent her name to the new Stokes-Knight Cup, a national state school competition launching in 2026 with finals at Lord’s. “It’s really important that we keep making cricket accessible,” Knight emphasized, expressing pride in supporting the initiative to boost state school participation in the sport.
Despite the hurdles, Knight’s focus remains on recovery and returning to the field in time for England’s World Cup opener against South Africa on October 3. Her resilience and continued commitment to the game underscore her status as a key figure in English cricket.
(Quotes sourced from PA News Agency)
