{"id":251023,"date":"2026-07-01T14:52:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T14:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/englands-nat-sciver-brunt-returns-for-womens-t20-world-cup-semi-final\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T14:52:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T14:52:57","slug":"englands-nat-sciver-brunt-returns-for-womens-t20-world-cup-semi-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/01\/englands-nat-sciver-brunt-returns-for-womens-t20-world-cup-semi-final\/","title":{"rendered":"England\u2019s Nat Sciver-Brunt returns for Women\u2019s T20 World Cup semi-final"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nat Sciver-Brunt will return to \u00adcaptain England in their T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa at the Oval after being \u201cput through recovery paces\u201d.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old missed the last three matches of the group stage after retiring hurt against Ireland<\/a> with a recurrence of the calf injury she \u00adsustained in April.<\/p>\n

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Since then, England\u2019s medical staff have pulled out all the stops to get her back to fitness, including seven hour-long sessions of magnetic resonance therapy, which involves \u201csitting for an hour and not moving, with my leg in a horseshoe-shaped thing,\u201d \u00adaccording to Sciver-Brunt.<\/p>\n

On her overall fitness, she said: \u201cI\u2019ve been put through my recovery paces and worked really hard to get myself to this position. I\u2019m really happy to be sat here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having been tipped to return on Saturday for the nine-wicket \u00adthumping of New Zealand<\/a>, it was\u00a0decided she would benefit from a longer recovery time given England\u00a0had already reached the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

Even now there is an element of risk, with a clear sense the \u00addecision has been made partly because this is a high-stakes game at home.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Despite her good form, Sophia Dunkley may make way for the fit-again captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.<\/span> Photograph: Alan Stanford\/PPAUK\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sciver-Brunt batted in the nets on Wednesday, but was not involved in any outdoor fielding sessions. \u201cWe\u2019ve tested it [my calf] enough to be comfortable,\u201d she said. \u201cMyself and the medical team are really happy with where we\u2019re at. Everything has gone to plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

She refused to confirm who would be dropped to make way for her, but the most obvious option is a straight swap at No 3 for Sophia Dunkley, who has hit winning knocks of 57 against Scotland<\/a> and 49 not out against New Zealand. However, the head coach, Charlotte Edwards, is known to favour continuity in the batting order and so is unlikely to want to disrupt it for a knockout game. \u201cLots of \u00addifferent people have stood up,\u201d Sciver-Brunt said. \u201cSomeone\u2019s going to be really disappointed tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given how capably the vice-\u00adcaptain, Charlie Dean, has deputised for Sciver-Brunt, there had been some suggestion Sciver-Brunt could return purely as a batter to relieve some of the pressure, but she said this had not been on the cards.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Dean] is happy to pass it [the captaincy] back \u2013 she said she definitely didn\u2019t want to do any more media,\u201d said Sciver-Brunt, jokingly.<\/p>\n

South Africa go into this semi-final as huge underdogs, facing a team who are unbeaten in this tournament, in front of what is likely to be a partisan capacity crowd.<\/p>\n

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