England’s World Cup squad will travel to India and Sri Lanka without one of its most experienced bowlers, as Kate Cross was omitted from the final 15-player list.
The 33-year-old seamer has been central to England’s attack, taking 101 wickets in 76 ODIs since her debut, and appearing in 31 of 45 ODIs since the last World Cup. She has claimed a career-best 6/30 and been part of the seam-bowling trio that carried England for the past decade.
However, with selectors opting for an extra spinner, Cross—who managed only 3 wickets from 4 games in 2025—was edged out in favour of Sarah Glenn, who has 11 wickets in 9 ODIs since 2022, including 3/21 this year in her only outing this year.
For Cross, who has been a mainstay of the attack, the decision was a bitter pill. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt reflected on the weight of that exclusion, “Being left out is never nice and for someone who has been a mainstay of our side for a really long time it probably has another level to it.”
Cross’ consistency has kept her at the heart of England’s bowling plans for years, and her removal highlights the ruthlessness of the current selection approach.
Sciver-Brunt went further, framing the call as part of a necessary evolution, “It’s really tough when these sorts of things happen but that is where we want to be as an England side, having huge decisions to make every time you select a squad or an XI.”
And ultimately, she sees it as a marker of squad depth rather than loss, “I think in a roundabout way it’s a positive for where we are as a group and a squad. The more that can happen, the better our team will be.”
Whether Cross will still shadow the squad as a potential injury replacement for seamers Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer, and Emily Arlott remains unclear. Sciver-Brunt said, “That’s a selection decision. I know they’ll be making the right one for whichever skillset that will be but I’m afraid I don’t know the answer.”
The captain also shared that she reached out privately to her teammate, “I did send her a message. Obviously, it was a bit of a shock for her, but she’s had a bit of time to think things through and reset a little bit.”
With Cross absent, England will embark on the World Cup without the three seamers who defined an era: Katherine Sciver-Brunt (170 wickets), Anya Shrubsole (106), and Cross (101). Between them, they account for 377 ODI wickets, a staggering pool of know-how that will not take the field in India and Sri Lanka.
The squad’s balance now also leans on Sciver-Brunt herself. She has largely played as a specialist batter since the 0-3 Ashes defeat in January, managing an Achilles problem that sidelined her bowling. In that series, she bowled 37.5 overs for only 2 wickets, with a best of 2/51, before stepping back from the role to protect her body.
Now, with Cross missing and conditions expected to suit spin, Sciver-Brunt plans to step up again, “I’ve been bowling in practice, and the body is feeling really good. That is the plan, to bowl a few overs out there. Contributing in every facet is something I love to do, and I’ll be really happy to contribute with the ball again.”
Her return with the ball will be pivotal in easing the burden on England’s younger seamers while also adding experience in high-pressure spells.
The build-up to this World Cup has already been turbulent: 4 wins in 9 matches, a 0-3 Ashes defeat, a 3-0 sweep of West Indies inspired by Amy Jones (251 runs), Tammy Beaumont (213) and Linsey Smith (7 wickets in 2 games), followed by a 1-2 series loss to India where Sciver-Brunt made 160 runs and Ecclestone claimed 5 wickets. Overall, Jones leads the yearly charts with 411 runs, followed closely by Sciver-Brunt (396), while Ecclestone (12 wickets in 6 games) and Smith (10 in 4) drive the bowling unit.
Cross’ exclusion is therefore less about her ability and more about England’s strategic shift. By backing spin depth and asking their captain to take on seam overs again, England are embracing change. It is a gamble that leaves behind a proven bowler with 101 ODI wickets but signals their determination to build a side equipped for Indian and Sri Lankan conditions.
England, four-time champions and 2017 winners at Lord’s, arrive in India after 25 wins from 41 ODIs since finishing runners-up in 2022, but with young seamers replacing seasoned hands, their title bid—starting 3 October vs South Africa in Navi Mumbai—faces a true test.
England Squad for ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025:
Nat Sciver-Brunt (C), Tammy Beaumont (VC), Em Arlott, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
(Quotes sourced from PA News Agency)
