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. The hosts now only need two more points to retain the Ashes.
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.
“What we learned from that 2023 Ashes series when we were in the same position was to be really focused on what we had to do in the moment,” Knight said.
“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.”
England slumped to an 86-run defeat as Australia complete a whitewash in the third ODI in Hobart
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.”
Will T20 format help England improve?
England captain Heather Knight has vowed to keep fighting to the last
With the ODI leg of the multi-format series now concluded, the switch to T20s should favour England.
The format is arguably England’s strongest, with Knight’s team winning seven of their eight T20s ahead of The Ashes, including a 3-0 T20 whitewash on their recent tour of South Africa.
“I think the change of format is really good for us. T20 is one of our best formats and I think that little reset will do us some good,” Knight said.
“T20 is a format a lot of the girls love playing and I hope that change will do us a lot of good.”
With the new format comes fresh faces, as England’s T20 squad picks up the baton from their ODI counterparts for Monday’s pivotal clash in Sydney.
“I think a change of format will lift the spirits and loosen everyone,” said Nat Sciver-Brunt. “There are new recruits who will bring us energy, we look forward to going back to Sydney.”
However, Australia top the rankings for the best T20 team in the world currently whilst England are in second place.
Women’s Ashes 2025 schedule
All dates and times UK and Ireland
- First ODI: Saturday January 11 – North Sydney Oval – Australia won by four wickets
- Second ODI: Monday January 13 – Junction Oval, Melbourne – Australia won by 21 runs
- Third ODI: Thursday January 16 – Ninja Stadium, Hobart – Australia won by 86 runs
- First T20I: 8.40am, Monday January 20 – Sydney Cricket Ground
- Second T20I: 8.40am, Thursday January 23 – Manuka Oval, Canberra
- Third T20I: 8.10am, Saturday January 25 – Adelaide Oval
- Test: 3.30am, Thursday Jan 30-Sunday Feb 2 – MCG, Melbourne
