England batter Heather Knight remains optimistic about returning to international cricket in time for the 50-over World Cup later this year. She is currently undergoing recovery from a significant hamstring tendon injury, sustained during last month’s T20I series against the West Indies.
“That World Cup is what I’m aiming for, it’s what I’ve got my sights set on,” Knight told the PA news agency. “There’s always bumps in the road with rehab but hopefully everything goes smoothly and I can be back early September and get a bit of cricket in before the World Cup.”
Knight was forced to miss the ODI leg of the West Indies series and has also ruled herself out of this summer’s edition of The Hundred as part of a cautious approach to recovery. She spent two weeks on crutches and has opted against surgery, choosing instead a conservative treatment plan.
“Things are tracking pretty well to hopefully be fit for that (World Cup). It’s healing well. We’re not gonna rush things. It’s a pretty gnarly injury: I ripped off the tendon quite well from the bone, so I have to be a little bit careful coming back,” she explained.
“I’m still very motivated to keep playing for England” – Knight
This injury setback comes at a transitional phase in Knight’s career. Earlier this year, she stepped down as England’s captain following a disappointing Ashes campaign in Australia, ending her nine-year leadership stint. Nat Sciver-Brunt has since taken over as captain.
“The Ashes was pretty tough; I was sad that things had ended like that but the ECB decided they wanted me to have a fresh start and that was their decision and completely fine,” she said.
Despite relinquishing captaincy, Knight reaffirmed her desire to contribute to the team. “I’m still very motivated to keep playing for England,” she confirmed.
While focused on her recovery, Knight has also been embracing life beyond cricket. “I’m going to Switzerland next week to watch the Lionesses play, so that’s something I wouldn’t have been able to do if I was playing cricket,” she said.
“It’s really cool to see what they’ve done for women’s sport in this country. Hopefully they can be successful because that Euros win in the UK (in 2022) was a really special moment for women’s sport in this country and changed the face of football.”
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