Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Sophia Dunkley exclusive - the trailblazing England batter hoping to inspire the next generation

Sophia Dunkley was a supporter in the stands the last time England won a major women’s cricket tournament.

Now the 27-year-old is part of the team looking to win a trophy on home soil – and inspire the next generation of young girls.

It was in 2017 that Dunkley joined 24,000 fans at a sold-out Lord’s to watch England beat India by nine runs in a pulsating 50-over World Cup final.

At the time, the London-born opening batter had just turned 19 and was a year away from making her own international debut.

“It was cool to be there at the final,” Dunkley recalls in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com. “It was a really special day.

“Seeing how many people were at the game was really inspiring for me. It was something that really helped me kick on and give me that drive in my career.

“At that time, we didn't see many sold-out women’s internationals in England. So, to see that atmosphere and see the effect that it had, it opened my eyes to what could be.”

Now, nine years on from that momentous match, England will again host a major women’s tournament in the form of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup from 12 June to 5 July.

England have not actually won the T20 World Cup since its inaugural edition in 2009, which was also the last time it was held in the UK.

“It’s such an amazing opportunity to do something special in front of our home fans,” adds Dunkley. “I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to do that this year.”

Aiming to emulate the Lionesses and Red Roses

For Dunkley, it is not only the England women’s cricket team’s past triumphs on home soil that serve as inspiration.

Just as motivating has been seeing the successes of the nation’s other women’s sporting sides.

In football, England’s Lionesses won the UEFA Women’s European Championship in 2022 at Wembley, while the Red Roses were victorious in the Women’s Rugby World Cup at Twickenham in 2025.

“I really enjoyed watching the Lionesses when it was on,” says Dunkley. “We followed that massively as a squad. Equally, watching the Red Roses, we really got behind them.

“It was great to see that women's sport fever in the country and how it brought everyone together. We're really keen to be as much involved in that big movement of women's sport as we can.

“A lot of us were inspired by 2017 and we'd love to win it and be at Lord’s lifting the trophy.

“But even if we didn't quite make it, hopefully it's still a bit of a statement for cricket in this country and women's sport as well.

“If we help inspire the next generation, I think our job's very much done.”

Dunkley: “We can beat anyone in the world”

Dunkley has been a permanent fixture at the top of England's order since Charlotte Edwards took over as coach last year.

She has struggled for form of late, scoring just 98 runs in her six T20 internationals so far this summer.

But as a side, England go into their World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on Friday (12 June) in high spirits after beating India 2-1 in their recent series, and they are considered one of the favourites to win the tournament.

Of trophy rivals Australia and India, Dunkley says: “They are definitely the front runners given their form over the last couple of years. They've obviously got a lot of world-class players.

“But the beauty of T20 cricket is that anyone on their day can win, because it just takes a couple of special individual performances.

“It’s definitely going to be a massive challenge to beat those kind of teams, but on our day, I think we can beat anyone in the world. It’s just believing in that.”

First black woman to play Test cricket for England

Dunkley first played cricket in her cul-de-sac in North London, having been introduced to the sport by a neighbour.

She joined a local boys’ club and then worked her way through the ranks, eventually signing for Middlesex.

Dunkley credits the influence of her mother – a single parent – for helping her make it as a professional.

“She was always driving me up and down the country, sorting my coaching out – all those things that take time and effort and money,” says Dunkley.

“I'm very grateful that I had someone that was really looking out for me and made it possible for me to follow that dream.”

Dunkley’s dream became a reality when she made her England debut at the Women’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies in November 2018.

She then made history as the first black woman to play Test cricket for England when she lined up against India in Bristol in June 2021.

“I didn't actually know about that before the game because making your debut is quite nerve-racking and I was just focusing on that,” says Dunkley.

“I got told on the day of the game and I probably didn't really take in the occasion as much as I could have done at the time.

“But looking back, it’s something that I'm really proud of and will remember really fondly. Hopefully it has inspired a few girls and boys.”

Targeting a place at LA28

While Dunkley is fully focused on the T20 World Cup, further down the line she has set her sights on representing Great Britain at Los Angeles 2028, as cricket makes its return to the Olympics.

She has already gained experience at a multi-sport event, having reached the semi-finals with England at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.

“It was really special,” reflects Dunkley. “Obviously, I’d only previously been at cricket competitions, so it was kind of weird having a lot of sports around.

“But it was really cool to meet different people, watch a few of the other sports and be around that atmosphere. I really enjoyed it.”

Dunkley also has fond memories of watching London 2012, having attended an Olympic hockey match in her home city, as well as a Paralympic athletics session.

“Obviously being from London, I did not want to miss out,” she says. “I loved going to watch the hockey and the track.

“In and around London, there was such a buzz. Everyone was just really behind Team GB.”

Playing cricket for Team GB would not have even been a dream for Dunkley at that stage. But now the sport is back on the Olympic programme, she is determined to seize her chance.

“It's going to be really cool to have cricket back in the Olympics,” she adds. “It’s the biggest sporting event in the world, something that's so iconic and historic, so to have our game as part of that is great.

“LA28 is such an exciting prospect. Obviously, there’s a lot of time between now and then, and we've got a few big events before that, so we don't try to think too far ahead.

“But it's definitely a goal of mine. I'd love to be there to represent Great Britain and to be part of the Olympics.”

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