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Heather Knight has stepped down as the captain of the England Women’s cricket team after nearly nine years in the role. This decision follows a disappointing series of performances, including a historic 16-0 defeat in the Women’s Ashes against Australia and an early exit from the T20 World Cup group stage last year. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced her resignation on March 22, 2025, during an ongoing review of the team’s recent performance.
“Captaining my country for the last nine years has been the biggest honour of my life”: Heather Knight
Knight, who has captained the side in 199 games since her appointment in June 2016, felt proud of her stint, mentioning the highlights, such as guiding England to win the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup on home ground. She said, “Captaining my country for the last nine years has been the biggest honour of my life and I will look back on my tenure with an enormous sense of pride,” and made a point of highlighting her intention to concentrate on her batting and aiding the new skipper in the future.
“I have loved the challenge of leading the team, but all good things come to an end and it’s time for me to go back into the ranks and focus on being the best batter and teammate that I can be for the team,” she added.
“Winning the ICC Women’s World Cup on home turf at Lord’s in 2017 will always be a huge highlight, but being a part of the huge steps forward made in the women’s game off the pitch brings me just as much pride. Now I’m excited to focus on my batting and supporting the team and the new captain in the best way I can.”
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Who will replace Heather Knight as captain?
The ECB now have the responsibility of naming a new captain to take the team forward into what they term a “new era.” Possible alternatives are vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and wicketkeeper Amy Jones, both of whom have filled in for Knight on occasion when she has been away.
With England getting ready for near-future matches against West Indies and India this summer, Knight will still be on the selection list as a player, starting a new chapter in her cricketing life and helping to inspire future generations.
