T20 World Cup preview: England

The squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (wk), Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt

Who they’re missing: England have named a full-strength squad for this tournament but there is one notable face missing from previous visits to Australia: wicketkeeper-bat Sarah Taylor. One of the best to ever full on the England kit, Taylor announced her retirement from international cricket last September, aged 30, after a well-publicised battle with anxiety. Also gone is former coach Mark Robinson, who stepped after down last July’s Ashes defeat and has been replaced by former Australia player Lisa Keightley.

ICC T20 ranking: 2nd

Form line (most recent first): LWWLWWWWLL

The 2018 result: Runners-up

Best finish: Champions (2009)

The big question: How quickly can England settle under a new coach? A change at the top so close to a major tournament is not the ideal, but Keightley at least knows her new team very well, having previously coached England’s Academy before taking on the head coach roles at WA and Perth Scorchers. She spent time with the group during their Pakistan tour last December – although interim coach Alastair Maiden was in charge – and the group bonded during a week in La Manga in Spain last month.

Player to watch: England captain Heather Knight looks to have found a new lease of life under Keightley, if her performances in the tri-series were anything to go by. The 29-year-old had just one fifty from 66 T20Is heading into that series but immediately tripled that count with back-to-back half-centuries in the first two matches. A regular in the Big Bash for Hobart, Knight knows Australian conditions well and the combination of her leadership, form with the bat and the option she brings with her off-spin will be critical to her team’s chances.

The X-Factor: It can often be a case of feast or famine with Danni Wyatt and you never quite know what you’re going to get when she walks to the crease. The explosive opener knows only one way – go hard or go home – but she famously loves Australia, both on and off field, and given England play two matches at the batters’ paradise of Manuka Oval, where Wyatt hit a century during the 2017 Ashes, she could be in for a big tournament.

Don't be surprised if: Sophie Ecclestone makes a serious impact on this tournament. The left-arm spinner already has more than 50 England caps to her name at age 20 and has evolved into one of the world’s best in the 20-over game in recent times. She picked up the key wicket of Meg Lanning early in the tri-series – a game where she also produced a brilliant performance under presser in the super over, keeping Australia to just eight runs.

The overall numbers

Team record: Matches: 137 | Won: 96 | Lost: 37 | Tied: 3 | NR: 1

Highest total: 3-250 v South Africa, Taunton 2018

Lowest total (completed innings): 87 v Australia, Hove 2015

The fixtures

February 23 v South Africa, WACA Ground, 10pm AEDT

February 26 v Thailand, Manuka Oval, 3pm AEDT

February 28 v Pakistan, Manuka Oval, 7pm AEDT

March 1 v West Indies, Sydney Showgrounds, 7pm AEDT