NEW DELHI: Danny White Hodge scored an unbeaten century as hosts England began their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in style, beating Sri Lanka by 87 runs in the tournament opener at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday.White Hodge’s brilliant innings helped England post a record 219/1 – the highest team total in Women’s T20 World Cup history – before their bowlers bowled out Sri Lanka for 132 to complete a dominant all-round performance.
White Hodge, Jones set the tone.
After Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapathu won the toss and elected to field, England’s opening pair of Amy Jones and Danny Whitehodge laid the perfect platform with a strong stand of 135 runs.The hosts started cautiously but picked up the pace after the powerplay, taking complete control of the contest before reaching 51 for no loss in the first six overs.After being dropped for 12 and again for 48, Jones scored a fluent 53 off 38 balls and made the most of his seventh T20I half-century.Sri Lanka finally broke through in the 14th over when Jones mistimed Maliki Madara and gave an easy catch to Athapatthu at mid-off.
A historic century illuminates Edgbaston.
If Jones provided a base, White Hodge did the fireworks.The veteran opener scored the first century of the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup and only the seventh century in the history of the tournament. It was also his first World Cup century and only the second century by an English batsman in the competition.White Hodge, whose partner Georgie gave birth to their first child on May 20, played a brilliant innings, unbeaten on 105 off 62 balls. He hit 13 fours and a six, sweeping the boundary to reach the milestone.The right-hander carried his bat forward through the innings and ended the historic effort with a boundary off the last ball.England also finished strongly, scoring 26 runs in the last over – another tournament record.Captain Nate Skewer Brunt scored an unbeaten 46 off just 22 balls to form an unbeaten 84-run partnership with White Hodge for the second wicket.
England’s bowlers finished the job.
Facing a tough target of 220, Sri Lanka were never able to build any meaningful momentum in the chase.Freya Kemp worked with the ball, returning impressive figures of 4/22 from her four overs. Charlotte Dean and Sophie Ecclestone took two wickets each while Lauren Bell and Lynsey Smith took one wicket each.Sri Lanka struggled against England’s disciplined attack and were eventually bundled out for 132, giving the hosts a comprehensive 87-run victory.
England’s record breaking start
England’s 219/1 eclipsed the previous highest Women’s T20 World Cup total of 213/5, which was made by England themselves against Pakistan in 2023.The victory also underlined England’s credentials as one of the favorites for the title as they began their home World Cup campaign in dominant fashion.England next face Ireland at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on June 16, while Sri Lanka face New Zealand at the same venue on the same day.
Highest team total in Women’s T20 World Cup
- 219/1 – ENG-W SL-W, Edgbaston, 2026
- 213/5 – ENG-W v PAK-W, Cape Town, 2023
- 195/3 – SA-W v THA-W, Canberra, 2020
- 194/5 – IND-W v NZ-W, Providence, 2018
- 191/4 – AUS-W v IRE-W, Sylhet, 2014
Most Centuries in Women’s T20Is
- 5 – Isha Oza (UAE-W)
- 3 – Chamari Athapatho (SL-W)
- 3 – Rebecca Black (ROM-W)
- 3 – Fatima Kabasu (TZN-W)
- 3 – Haley Matthews (WI-W)
- 3 – Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W)
- 3 – Danni Wyatt-Hodge (ENG-W)
Hundreds in Women’s T20 WC
- 126 – Meg Lanning (AUS-W) vs IRE-W, Sylhet, 2014
- 112* – Deandra Dutton (WI-W) v SA-W, Basseterre, 2010
- 108* – Heather Knight (ENG-W) v THA-W, Canberra, 2020
- 105* – Danni Wyatt-Hodge (ENG-W) v SL-W, Edgbaston, 2026
- 103 – Harmanpreet Kaur (IND-W) v NZ-W, Providence, 2018
- 102 – Muniba Ali (PAK-W) v IRE-W, Cape Town, 2023
- 101 – Liesel Lee (SA-W) vs THA-W, Canberra, 2020
