Teenage bolter named in England's T20 World Cup squad

Uncapped teenage spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman has been named in England's T20 World Cup squad as they seek to break through for their first global women's title in almost a decade on home soil.

England selectors unveiled their 15-player squad on Tuesday with star allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt to captain the side in her seventh T20 World Cup appearance.

England 2026 T20 World Cup squad: Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Dani Gibson, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp, Heather Knight, Linsey Smith, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

England haven't won an ICC women's event since the 2017 50-over World Cup, which they also hosted, with the final of this year's T20 showpiece to again be staged at Lord's on July 5.

Their only women's T20 World Cup triumph also came at home in the inaugural event in 2009 when now head coach Charlotte Edwards led them to a six-wicket victory over New Zealand at Lord's.

Australia have won six of the nine women's T20 World Cups staged and will be seeking redemption under new skipper Sophie Molineux after being bundled out in the semi-finals by South Africa in the previous edition in 2024.

Left-armer Corteen-Coleman, who represented England at the last year's Under-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia, taking seven wickets in five games with a best of 4-8 against the Kiwis, earned selection following a super start to the domestic season for Surrey.

Though yet to debut for the senior side, the 18-year-old has taken nine wickets at 18.22 in four one-day matches, with only veteran Aussie Jess Jonassen ahead of her on 11.

Corteen-Coleman has also performed strongly for Southern Brave in the Hundred since making her debut as a 16-year-old in 2024, with 17 wickets at 20.52 in two seasons.

She adds depth to England's spin attack for the tournament, which also features vice-captain Charlie Dean, the world's second-ranked T20I bowler Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith, who is the third left-arm finger spinner picked in the squad.

Alongside Corteen-Coleman, speedsters Issy Wong and Lauren Filer have been named in a T20 World Cup squad for the first time, while hard-hitting opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge will make her eighth appearance at the T20 tournament.

Lauren Bell will lead a five-strong pace battery, with left-armer Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson also named, the latter hoping for a return to England side for the first time since the previous T20 World Cup two years ago.

There was no room for veteran batter Tammy Beaumont, who led England in their last T20 international when Sciver-Brunt was injured, while rising 19-year-old batter Davina Perrin, who hit a record 42-ball century in last year's Hundred, couldn't force her way in.

Leg-spinner Sarah Glenn wasn't considered for selection in the spin-heavy squad as she recovers from a broken finger.

Edwards said it had been "incredibly tough" to get the squad down to 15 names.

"This is the hardest set of selection meetings I have been a part of because the pool of players to choose from is so strong and so many talented players have put their hand up to be a part of the squad, which is exactly what we want," the England coach said.

"That is the nature of world-class sport, and it is a privilege we don't take lightly to be able to make these difficult decisions.

"A T20 World Cup on home soil is a special moment for the game in this country, and we are all really motivated by what could be ahead for this group of players and what they can achieve this summer."

Sciver-Brunt added: "I know how much winning in 2009 meant to the players and to Charlotte Edwards as captain, and being in the team under Heather Knight's leadership for the 2017 ODI World Cup win was incredibly special.

"Now the aim is to do something similar with this fantastic group of players."

England will play warm-up series against New Zealand and India next month before opening their T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 12 at Edgbaston.