England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt is fit and ready for the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup after recovering from a calf injury, head coach Charlotte Edwards said on Tuesday, although the all-rounder is unlikely to bowl during the tournament.
Sciver-Brunt suffered a calf tear while playing in the domestic Women’s One-Day Cup in April and missed England’s recent series action as she continued her rehabilitation.
England will face Australia and India in warm-up matches next week before opening their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka in Birmingham on June 12.
“It is obviously really good for us that Nat is coming back into the team and hitting the ball well,” Edwards told Sky Sports after England secured a 2-1 series victory over India with a six-wicket win on Tuesday.
“She is fine and ready to go. She probably won’t bowl but her batting is something that she is best in the world at.”
Edwards added that Sciver-Brunt is keen to occupy the number three position in the batting order.
“She wants to bat number three. She has done very well in global franchises there and that’s where she wants to be. It’s important she bats where she wants,” Edwards said.
One of England’s most accomplished white-ball players, Sciver-Brunt is the team’s second-highest run-scorer in women’s Twenty20 internationals with 2,960 runs. She has also claimed 90 wickets in 137 T20I appearances, making her England’s fourth-highest wicket-taker in the format.
Her return provides a significant boost to England’s hopes as they prepare for the global tournament on home soil.
