Tammy Beaumont, the 34-year-old veteran opener, is preparing for her fourth ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup with a point to prove. A seasoned pillar of England’s batting, Beaumont carries the weight of unfinished business from 2013 in India, where she was benched throughout the tournament and left haunted by memories of England’s narrow failure to reach the final.
Now, 12 years later, she returns to familiar sub-continental conditions, this time as one of England’s most experienced performers, keen to erase that memory and instead emulate the crowning success of 2017 when she starred in England’s triumph at Lord’s.
Back in 2013, Beaumont’s first taste of World Cup cricket was from the sidelines. She vividly recalls being part of England’s squad in India but not playing a single game. Instead, she watched England’s hopes collapse despite a stirring partnership between Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor against New Zealand in Mumbai.
“My standout memory (from the 2013 World Cup) was watching an amazing partnership between Charlotte Edwards and Sarah Taylor against New Zealand, but we actually found out halfway through that game that we’d been knocked out because Australia lost to West Indies,” Beaumont told ICC Digital.”
The cruel twist not only delivered disappointment but also left a lasting imprint on Beaumont. “I had to run the drinks out to tell the two of them that, unfortunately, we weren’t going to make it, but to make sure that we finish this game strong and go on. At the time, I was nowhere near that standard and kind of went away from that World Cup wanting to emulate things that they’ve done,” she said.
However, just four years later, Beaumont achieved redemption on home soil. Opening the batting in the 2017 World Cup, she was pivotal to England’s journey, finishing among the leading run-scorers of the tournament with 410 runs at a strike rate of 76.92 and an average of 45.55 in 9 innings, including one half-century and a century to her name in the tournament, in a campaign that culminated in a famous 9-run victory over India in the final at Lord’s.
“It’s now eight years ago, but nothing in my career has topped that feeling,” she said. “Doing that lap of honour around a sold-out Lord’s. For me, it was a massive moment for England women’s cricket and also the world international women’s cricket.”
That triumph remains Beaumont’s defining memory, but the fire to relieve such glory burns brighter than ever as England once again seek to stake their claim on cricket’s grandest women’s stage. “This could be another landmark moment at this World Cup, and change the game again and grow it, and as an England player, I desperately want to be the one at the end in that final, holding on to the trophy.”
The 2025 campaign marks a new chapter for England. They arrive to the mega tournament under fresh leadership, with superstar all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt promoted to captaincy after Heather Knight’s tenure. Beaumont has full belief in her skipper’s ability to rise to the occasion.
“I think it’s been brilliant for Nat to take over the captaincy as she leads in the way that she does everything,” Beaumont observed. “She’s one of the best trainers in the team, an incredibly hard worker and incredibly good under pressure. For me, you watch her, and you’re just inspired. That’s the way she’s going to lead, showing everyone how we want to do it and everyone following suit.”
The 13th edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup runs from September 30 to November 2, 2025, across venues in India and Sri Lanka. Eight nations, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, will battle for the sport’s biggest prize.
England begin their campaign against Laura Wolvaardt’s South Africa in Guwahati on October 3, 2025, from 3 PM IST. With Beaumont at the top and Sciver-Brunt leading the side, England will look to channel the lessons of 2013 and the inspiration of 2017 into another defining performance on the world stage.
England Squad: Nat Sciver-Brunt (C), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, 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 ICC Official Press Release)
