Heather Knight has stepped down as the captain of England Women’s cricket team after nearly nine years in the role, following a disappointing 16-0 defeat in the recent multi-format Ashes series in Australia.
Since taking over the captaincy in 2016, Knight has led England in 199 matches, overseeing 134 victories—making her the second-most successful England Women’s captain in history.
Her tenure included some of England’s greatest achievements in women’s cricket, most notably winning the 2017 Women’s World Cup at home soil and reaching two other ICC tournament finals.
Under her leadership, England enjoyed a record-breaking run of eight consecutive ODI series wins, including a notable triumph over Australia during the 2023 home Ashes.
That series saw England clinch the T20I leg and draw the overall contest, boosting global interest in women’s cricket.
However, on the back of disappointing performances by the team in last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE and the recent Ashes in Australia, the ECB has decided to appoint a new captain to lead the team into a new era.
Clare Connor, ECB Managing Director, England Women, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, said: “Heather has been an outstanding leader as England Women’s Captain.
