With just 50 days remaining until the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, an extraordinary milestone was reached as over 7,500 children from 44 schools across the region took part in Schools Cricket Day—the largest single-day cricket participation event in UK history.
This landmark celebration marks a significant step on the journey to the highly anticipated tournament, which launches on 12th June at Edgbaston and continues with six matches at the Bristol County Ground starting 21st June.
Children, both girls and boys, embraced the sport in all its forms—from first-time batters and bowlers in playgrounds to competitive matches on sports fields—demonstrating a genuine passion as schools across England and Wales truly captured the spirit of cricket.
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In Bristol and Gloucestershire alone, more than 7,500 children engaged with cricket activities. Sixteen local schools participated in various sessions hosted at the Bristol County Ground, featuring cricket drills, creative art workshops, player Q&As, and much more.
Esteemed cricket figures such as Heather Knight OBE, Lydia Greenway OBE, Alex Hartley, and Georgia Adams joined school events in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup host cities, serving as inspiring role models and empowering girls to see cricket as a sport for everyone.
Schools Cricket Day is part of the ECB’s broader mission to leverage the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales to inspire a lasting legacy, encouraging the next generation of girls to embrace cricket. The ECB aims to engage 500,000 women and girls in cricket this year, cultivate 300 women into key leadership roles, and develop 500 Champions of Change through the Young Cricket Collective—an initiative empowering young girls to volunteer and lead change in their local clubs.
Further enriching the day’s activities, UNICEF’s “Rights in Play” programme introduced bespoke games designed to promote child rights awareness through cricket. These interactive games complemented a wealth of cricket resource ideas available on a dedicated school hub.
Melissa Story from Gloucestershire reflected, “The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is arriving in Bristol in just 50 days. Events like Schools Cricket Day are crucial for inspiring newcomers to discover the joy of cricket—the game has given me so much. World tournaments like this leave a powerful legacy and today is a vital moment to encourage more children across Bristol, Gloucestershire, and national communities to pick up a bat and ball and fall in love with the sport.”
Bristol City Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Heather Mack, emphasized the broader impact, “Sport is a great equalizer, offering everyone the chance to excel regardless of background. Days like today build confidence not just in sport, but in life. Traditionally, this privilege was geared towards men and boys. However, with events like last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup motivating young girls, and now this summer’s T20 World Cup, we have an opportunity to inspire girls to be physically active and confident. We hope our young participants leave the County Ground motivated and empowered to try cricket.”
Gemma Barton, ECB Head of Strategic Growth, added, “Events like Schools Cricket Day demonstrate how the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is shaping cricket’s future. Each child inspired to pick up a bat and ball today experiences firsthand how inclusive, welcoming, and enjoyable cricket is. This momentum isn’t just for this summer; it’s about the growth of the game, more girls playing, expanding teams, and people truly feeling they belong in cricket.”
Join the excitement of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026—secure your tickets now and be part of this historic moment.