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End Of An Era! Heather Knight Steps Down As England Women’s Captain After 9 Years

Soumyajit Dutta

Heather Knight [Source: @Cricket_TS/X.com]Heather Knight [Source: @Cricket_TS/X.com]

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Heather Knight has announced her decision to step down as captain of the England Women’s cricket team after a transformative nine-year reign. Under her leadership, England claimed the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup on home soil, reached two other ICC finals, and secured a record eight consecutive ODI series wins. 

Despite recent setbacks, including a T20 World Cup exit and Ashes defeat, Knight leaves as England’s second-most successful women’s captain with 134 wins. 

ECB Hails Knight's Leadership Tenure 

The ECB will soon name Heather Knight's successor, while Knight remains available as a player, focusing on her batting and supporting the new skipper. Clare Connor, ECB Managing Director, hailed Knight’s impact as she praised her leadership.

“Heather has been an outstanding leader… She led the team brilliantly to win a World Cup on home turf, creating memories we will never forget. That magical day at Lord’s acted as a catalyst for so much of the growth we’ve seen in women’s cricket.”

Knight’s tenure included milestones like the 2023 Women’s Ashes draw, which elevated global interest in the sport. Connor also highlighted Knight’s iconic 2022 Canberra Test century, calling it “an innings of great skill and heart.”

Knight's Emotional Farewell To Leadership

In her statement after stepping down, Knight reflected on her tenure as a captain and what she is willing to do in cricket in the future.

“Captaining my country… has been the biggest honour of my life. Winning the World Cup at Lord’s will always be a highlight, but the growth of the women’s game off the pitch brings me just as much pride. I’m excited to focus on my batting and supporting the new captain in the best way I can.”

Knight's Stellar Cricketing Career

Apart from his sturdy leadership credentials the 34-year-old also boasts a brilliant cricketing career. In Test cricket, she has scored 970 runs in 14 matches at an impressive average of 42.17, with two centuries and five fifties. 

In ODIs, Knight has amassed 4037 runs in 149 matches, including 26 half-centuries and two centuries. Her T20I career is equally remarkable, with 2222 runs in 129 matches at a strike rate of 120.43.