In a cricketing landscape increasingly dominated by franchise leagues, ICC competitions – such as this summer’s Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup – remain the pinnacle.
That stance is shared by former England captain and Sky Sports commentator Nasser Hussain, who is “really, really excited” for the 12-team home tournament set to play out in June and July.
Sky Sports will have exclusive coverage of every match from the Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup, while all of the home nations’ fixtures will be available free-to-air.
“I really enjoy ICC events,” Hussain told Radio Times. “I’ll be perfectly honest, I know there’s a lot of franchise cricket now being played around the world. I still think playing for your country is the most important thing.
“Playing for your country in a home World Cup, it doesn’t get much better than that.
“So I’m really looking forward to it. The growth in the women’s game since I was at the 2017 World Cup final with my daughter and her school team, watching Heather Knight lift the trophy, has been exponential.
“England have a new coaching structure and it’s a real test of where they are. They’ve stuck with their tried and tested – and now’s the time to deliver.”
But does Hussain have faith that Nat Sciver-Brunt can deliver and win a first world T20 title since the Three Lions last hosted in 2009?
Radio Times brings you Nasser Hussain’s predictions ahead of the Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2026.
Nasser Hussain’s Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 predictions
Winner
“Australia.
“I know the last couple of ICC events, they’ve not delivered but I’ve not seen a better cricketing side than the Australian women’s cricket team.
“They are definitely the favourites. Although they’ve got a new captain in Sophie Molyneux, so she’ll be under a bit of pressure.”
Dark horses
“Pakistan.
“They’ve been playing some really good cricket recently under Fatima Sana and improving their power hitting.
“Pakistan are dark horses. They’ll always have spin options.”
Player of the tournament
“Annabel Sutherland.
“The Australian all-rounder has really come of age in the last few years with bat and ball.
“She knows English conditions well, having played and done very well in The Hundred.
“An excellent death bowler, with all those slower balls and variations, and a tough cricketer. I think Annabel Sutherland’s a superb cricketer.”
England
“I mean, they’ve won four out of four in home World Cups – 50-over and T20 – and they head into it having beaten world champions New Zealand.
“England are ranked second in the world in T20 cricket, they’ve got four of the top seven bowlers in the rankings, so they’re in a good place.
“The problem for England is the only way we’ll find out if they’re ready is when they get to that pressure situation, that’s been their nemesis.
“They’ve coasted, they’ve won plenty of bilateral series and they coast through games sometimes. Then they get to a must-win group game in the last T20 World Cup against the West Indies in Dubai. Under pressure, dropped catches.
“50-over World Cup semi-final against South Africa, Laura Wolfhart takes them down. It is in those knockout games under pressure that they have to deliver and we will only know if they can when they’re put under that pressure.”
Scotland and Ireland
“Well, they will go into it hoping to win every game.
“You can’t go in, say: ‘Oh, well, it’s England or New Zealand, we’re not going to win that.’
“I think you go in to win every game, especially in T20 cricket, you just need one or two to come off and have a day out.
“Those are big games against England and world champions New Zealand but really, you need to be targetting winning the other games – Scotland or Ireland, Sri Lanka, and West Indies.
“I love big upsets, and they are more likely in this format, but they are the games that they need to target because you’ve got a chance of qualifying if you win those other games.
“If you win those, then you face an England or New Zealand, then you’ve got a chance.”
Watch every ball of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup exclusively live on Sky Sports and NOW, from the opening match on 12 June through to the final on 5 July.
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