Heather Knight Returns as England Announce Squad for 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India

England have named a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in India, with veteran batter Heather Knight making a return after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in May. The tournament will be held from September 30 to November 2.

Knight headlines the squad alongside leg-spinner Sarah Glenn and top-order batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge, both of whom make their comeback after missing the recent ODI series against India earlier this summer.

This World Cup will mark the first major ICC tournament under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.

The squad sees notable exclusions, with pace bowler Kate Cross, batter Maia Bouchier, and allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards missing out.

England Squad for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup:

Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

Head coach Charlotte Edwards expressed her excitement at leading the team into a global event and praised the squad’s balance and depth, especially in the spin department.

“Being selected to play for your country in a World Cup is one of the biggest honours in sport and I'm delighted for all the players named in the squad,” said Edwards.

“Like all global tournaments, it will be a huge challenge, but we want to go as far as we possibly can in India. I believe that if we play our best cricket, we can compete with anyone.”

Edwards highlighted the return of Knight and Wyatt-Hodge as major boosts.

“It’s fantastic to welcome Sarah Glenn back. That does mean there's no room for Kate Cross, Maia Bouchier or Alice Davidson-Richards, which will be disappointing for them,” she noted.
“It’s also great to have Danni back in the squad. She's been in good form in domestic cricket and she'll bring dynamism and depth to our batting, alongside Heather, who we are absolutely delighted to be able to select. She'll be a huge asset for us.”

With Indian conditions expected to favour spin, England have loaded their squad with multiple spin options including Ecclestone, Glenn, Dean, Smith, and Capsey.

England are eyeing their second ODI World Cup title in India, having last won the tournament in 2017. Edwards believes this is a prime opportunity for her team.

“India is an amazing place to play cricket, and as a group we have a huge opportunity to go and do something special,” she said. “ODI World Cups are the pinnacle of our sport. They only come around every four years and we're so excited to get over there to start our preparation.”