England suffer T20 World Cup heartache yet again with defeat to West Indies seeing them miss out on semi-finals; wait for first global trophy since 2017 goes on, so will Heather Knight be pondering her future as captain? - watch Women's T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports
Friday 18 October 2024 19:25, UK
The wait goes on.
Not since 2017, when Anya Shrubsole inspired her nation to 50-over glory at a sold-out Lord's, have England lifted a World Cup. You need to go back to 2014 for their last Ashes triumph.
Over recent years, England have ended up second best in the real crunch games - before and after Jon Lewis took over as coach and instilled an aggressive, fearless brand of cricket, one he had watched first-hand as bowling coach in the early Bazball era for England men.
Whatever style England have adopted, the silverware they really want has eluded them.
Bilateral series wins have been chalked up, including against Australia last summer when they were victorious in both the ODI and T20I legs of the multi-format contest.
But that was not enough to claim the overall Ashes trophy, after defeat in the Test plus narrow losses in the first T20 and second ODI, and now their hopes of a first T20 World Cup title since 2009 have been dashed by a six-wicket defeat to West Indies.
With a semi-final spot on the line, England faltered.
That deflating reverse - West Indies pummelling 67 in the powerplay as they successfully chased 142 against a ragged England side that shelled five catches - meant Knight's side failed to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup for the first time in seven editions.
England had made the last four of the previous T20 World Cup in South Africa in early 2023, only for their big-game yips to perhaps strike again - fading from 132-3 in the 17th over chasing 165 once the always-instrumental Nat Sciver-Brunt was dismissed.
Knight's team had been ruthless to that point in the tournament with four wins from four, including a competition-record 213 against Pakistan, but that counted for nothing in the end.
It was a similar scenario this time around with the side largely breezing through their first three group matches, save for a bit of a batting stumble against Bangladesh and some spilled catches against South Africa.
A 10-wicket demolition of Scotland, in which Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge sealed a chase of 110 in just 10 overs, put them top of the group and on course for the knockout stages.
Without taking anything away from West Indies, England's ruthlessness evaporated in Dubai on Tuesday, with three wickets lost inside seven overs after they were put in to bat and then the Caribbean side profiting from short and wide bowling and a glut of dropped catches to break the back of the chase early on.
All Knight could do during the West Indies innings was watch in pain - literally and figuratively - with a calf injury sustained while batting that caused her to retire hurt preventing her from taking the field.
She was suppressing tears at the post-match presentation. Her anguish clear.
Knight has been through the wringer as England captain since that joyous Lord's day in the summer of 2017. Holding the side together during the restrictive Covid era and presiding over numerous nearly-but-not-quite moments in Ashes series and World Cups.
Such is the packed women's cricketing calendar now, there will soon be more big trophies for Knight to fight for.
An away Women's Ashes series in January. The next 50-over World Cup in India in September and October 2025.
Yet you wonder whether she can go to the well once more as captain or if, after over eight years in the role, she will consider it time to hand over the mantle. Time for a fresh voice to lead and for her to focus solely on her batting.
There has been no outward suggestion of that - winning a first Ashes series as captain is an obvious reason to continue and England clearly missed her composure as things unravelled against West Indies - but the end of a global event always brings reflection.
Sciver-Brunt stood in for the stricken Knight against West Indies, however it may be Sophie Ecclestone is the long-term successor as captain: still only 25, a certain starter - she is one of the best bowlers in the world, if not the best - and with a shrewd cricket brain.
Whoever leads England going forward, though, the task is simple - well, simple to say, if not execute. Find a way to get over the line when it really matters.
England have closed the gap on standard-bearers Australia - if not for the Ashes points system so heavily weighted towards the sole Test match, they would have claimed back the urn last summer - but now they need to close out victories in the biggest matches.
The wait goes on.
Watch the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals and final live on Sky Sports this week.
