ENGLAND’S coach, Charlotte Edwards, believes her side remains on track for a fifth ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title later this year.
Edwards has only been in the top job for less than six months, but the former World Cup-winning captain has already seen the inconsistences that plagued the side under former coach Jon Lewis.
England looked in great shape when they swept past the West Indies in all six white-ball contests to start Edwards’ tenure, but fell back to earth quickly when they were beaten by India during the ensuing home ODI and T20I series that followed.
But Edwards was not downcast by the India defeats and thinks the European side is in a good position to claim a fifth World Cup title at this year’s event that commences on September 30.
“We were massively challenged (against India) and that’s how we want women’s cricket to be,” Edwards told the BBC Stumped podcast recently.
“It wasn’t a reality check. We know we can beat India.
“We are going into a World Cup where we know if we play our best, we can beat any team.”
England spinner Sophie Ecclestone shone with the ball at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024
England has two players holding on to the No.1 spot on the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings, with skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt (batting) and spinner Sophie Ecclestone (bowling) both currently rated as the best in the world in their specific profession and the duo likely to play a major role in the side’s race to this year’s World Cup title.
Edwards suggested the pair were in good shape ahead of England’s World Cup tilt and said the team was working extremely hard at getting rid of the tag as being a poor fielding side.
“It is something we are working on, we know we have that tag now,” Edwards added.
“Sometimes I get frustrated because we can drop one catch and we are labelled a bad fielding team, even though we have fielded really well otherwise.
“I am confident we can get to a place where people are talking really positively about our fielding.”