Who will make England’s Women’s T20 World Cup squad? Davina Perrin in? Tammy Beaumont to have a role? Lauren Filer or Issy Wong? | Cricket News

England Women head coach Charlotte Edwards will announce her squad for the T20 World Cup on Tuesday and she has some difficult decisions to make.

England enter the home World Cup under mounting pressure. They have not lifted the T20 World Cup since they last hosted the tournament in 2009, were knocked out in the group stage in 2024, and have not won an ICC trophy in any format since 2017, when they clinched the 50-over World Cup at home.

They have struggled for form recently but will be optimistic that glory is on the horizon.

However, for that to occur, Edwards will have to get her squad selection correct by finding the balance between youth and experience to try and ensure England achieve their goal of winning a World Cup for the first time in 17 years.

For Sky Sports Cricket’s Charles Dagnall, the lack of international experience for the likes of exciting up-and-comers Davina Perrin and Tilly Corteen-Coleman – with the pressure firmly on for an England side that has “underachieved” – may mean such bright future stars miss out.

“I would argue if you had a time machine, that would be a lovely thing because I would have wanted to have seen Tilly Courteen-Coleman and Davina Perrin [get caps earlier],” Dagnall said.

“I want to see Charis Pavely. I want to see other players who have just been sort of knocking on the door. Kira Chathli is another one.

“We have seen performances in The Hundred and in the women’s domestic competition that have warranted that.

“But they haven’t actually had that international experience and so do you then throw a young player into the home T20 World Cup where there’s a lot of pressure on?

“You can say they [England] have not performed over the last three or four years, but they have not performed over the last 10 years.

“This is one of the best resourced and well-paid teams in world cricket, if not in women’s sport. And they’ve only had one World Cup to show for it since 2009.

“So my argument would be that the pressure really is on and a minimum here is not just a final. You’ve got to go and win it. This is a home World Cup.

“I don’t think they will [pick Davina Perrin]. [But] I’d love to see them do that and I would be thrilled to see Davina Perrin.”

Who are the dead certs?

While it is up for debate whether Edwards will be bold and bring in some in-form younger players, Dagnall believes there are seven players who are guaranteed their spots in Edwards’ squad.

“I’ve got Danni Wyatt-Hodge at the top of the order. I think she is a dead certain and she is in pretty good touch as well. We’ve seen her score runs in the Metro Bank this year so far.

“Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amy Jones is the four of them in the top order.

“Then I think Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell. Lauren Bell, for me, is the best opening bowler in world T20 at the moment.

“So they are my seven definites.

“Then there is a cluster of players who are probably going to make up the rest of the squad, depending on which way England want to go.

“Now, they might want to play three seamers, three spinners. They might want to go four and two.”

Who is your back-up ‘keeper?

Jones heads into the World Cup as England’s No 1 wicketkeeper once again but if she were to get injured, Dagnall believes Tammy Beaumont would be a savvy inclusion in the squad thanks to her vast experience on the international stage.

“I am picking Tammy Beaumont as your spare ‘keeper because of experience,” Dagnall added.

“Kira Chathli is sort of knocking on the door. Bess Heath has been knocking on the door for quite some time. But of the players that we know that are around, are you going to lean towards a home World Cup and having that experience and the pressure and someone who’s been there and done it?

“I don’t think she’s a first-teamer in the T20 side. I know she wants to be one, but I don’t think she is.

“But she is someone who can come in and you know what you are getting from Tammy Beaumont.

“She is someone who can take the gloves over a Kira Chathli who has had one good year in The Hundred and was hugely impressive last season for the London Spirit.

“I think they will probably go with Tammy Beaumont.”

Lauren Filer or Issy Wong?

With Lauren Bell, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Nat Sciver-Brunt providing bowling options in Dagnall’s predicted side, the question comes of who else can take on those roles.

If Linsey Smith is used as the other spin option, and Dani Gibson, Em Arlott and Freya Kemp are included, a question arises as to whether to include Issy Wong or Lauren Filer as the other quick option.

For Dagnall, the answer is Wong thanks to her ability to rise to the occasion plus her ability as an all-rounder.

“I think they’ll go with Issy Wong just for the fact that she’s a three-dimensional cricketer,” he said.

“She batted at No 3 in the women’s final day in the Vitality Blast, she got a half-century in the semi-final.

“She is a big-game player and you have seen she rises to the occasion. She has played in big occasions for England, she is a gun in the field, so I think they will lean towards Wong rather than Filer, who really just gives you that extra bit of pace.”