Heather Knight says 2023 Ashes comeback offers hope in bid to keep series alive

Heather Knight says England must take hope from their miraculous comeback in 2023 as they bid to keep the women’s Ashes alive with victory in the opening T20 in Sydney on Monday.

England go into the game trailing 6-0 on the points table after Australia completed an ODI whitewash with an 86-run win in Hobart on Friday.

But captain Knight has not lost all hope and pointed out her side’s recovery from a similar deficit two years ago to eventually tie the series 8-8.

Knight told a press conference: “What we learned from that 2023 Ashes series when we were in exactly the same position was to be really focused on what we had to do in the moment.

“There’s no doubt it is going to be tough but we will try and bring our best to the T20 and I think the format change will suit us well.”

All-rounder Freya Kemp, spinner Linsey Smith and wicketkeeper Bess Heath will join the squad for the T20 leg, as England look to reassert their dominance over the short format after a disappointing 2024 World Cup.

“I think it’s a real strength of ours,” added Knight. “It’s a format the girls really love playing and it suits a lot of the characters in the group because it’s fast and exciting.

“I think the mental side will suit us as well, we can draw a line under the one-day series and come out and play at a beautiful cricket ground and hopefully put in a really strong performance.”