ICC Women’s World T20: We’re standing on our two feet and putting the women’s game front and centre, says England captain Heather Knight

England had hosted the last Women’s World T20 two years back and the final was sold out at Lord’s and Knight believes that the way women’s game had progressed, selling out stadiums for women’s cricket will become a norm.

England skipper Heather Knight, who led the team to the title in the ICC Women’s World Cup last year, hopes to repeat the feat in the ICC Women’s World T20, starting next month in the West Indies, but more importantly feels that first-ever stand alone Women’s World T20 have women cricketers standing on their two feet and putting the women’s game front and centre.

We’ve been lucky enough to dovetail with the men’s game for some time – and there are pros and cons to both models – but I also like the idea that we’re standing on our two feet and putting the women’s game front and centre,” wrote Knight in her column for the ICC website.

“I know the West Indies will be keen to put on a great show and hopefully we can play some entertaining cricket that the fans enjoy,” she wrote, adding, “It would be nice if we could repeat what happened at Lord’s last summer as well!”.

England had hosted the last Women’s World T20 two years back and the final was sold out at Lord’s and Knight believes that the way women’s game had progressed, selling out stadiums for women’s cricket will become a norm.

Of course, the final at Lord’s was sold out, which is not a sight I ever thought I’d see, and that has now led to aims of selling out the MCG in 2020. To even have the ambition of selling those many seats is exciting.We are constantly progressing, and it makes me incredibly excited to think of where we’ll be in two years, four years and so on,” said Knight, who has scored has scored 533 runs and taken 14 wickets in 48 T20Is.

For the 27-year-old Knight, the most exciting part about such a global tournament is the fact that it allows to build role models for young fans, especially a stand-alone women’s tournament.

“One of the most exciting things about that tournament for me was watching young kids’ reactions to us. When I was first playing the game, I generally looked up to men’s players and I know that was also the case for a lot of my teammates, and opponents. They were often the only cricketers you could see.

“Now though a young girl watching the ICC Women’s World T20 for the first time can look up to Katherine Brunt, Meg Lanning, Smriti Mandhana, Stafanie Taylor or whoever. There are now any number of role-models and that’s truly exciting,” she added.

The Women’s World T20 starts November 9 with India women taking on New Zealand women. England women begin their campaign on November 11 against Sri Lanka women.