Women’s World Cup 2026: ‘You can't be brave without being scared’ - Charlie Dean opens up on handling pressure ahead of England's title bid

England captain Charlie Dean has acknowledged the pressure of performing in front of home fans at the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup, but said the team is focused on removing the mental burden that can come with the expectation of winning. Among the tournament favourites, England are aiming to end a 17-year wait for a Women's T20 World Cup title. Their campaign begins against Sri Lanka on June 12.

Ahead of the tournament, England suffered a five-wicket defeat to Australia women's cricket team in a warm-up match in Cardiff. England posted 157/6, with Alice Capsey top-scoring with 45. Australia chased down the target comfortably in 18.2 overs, thanks largely to 64 from Ellyse Perry.

"I think it's important for us to talk about the pressure. We know that eyes are on us and people want us to do well. We know that if we're on our best day and we perform, we can beat anyone. It's just getting to that as a team, and it's framing it as that exciting opportunity, which it is. Steering away from the daunting aspects that it can possibly bring, but also acknowledging we're all human and we're probably all going to feel those pressures. You can't be brave without being scared. And can we be open and honest with each other to then help each other through those moments,” said Dean to Sky Sports.

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Dean said the opportunity to introduce women's cricket to a wider audience through the World Cup is one of the most exciting aspects of the tournament. Dean stressed that England are eager to test themselves against the strongest teams in the world. She acknowledged that England will need to be at their very best if they are to achieve their goal of reaching the final and ending their long wait for a world title.

"As cricketers, we're being challenged in every game that we play, which is a really exciting place to be in. There's no team that couldn't win a certain game. I think that's probably the nature of T20. It feels like we're going to have to be on our A-game for all the group stages, and then I'm excited to see how the team goes in those pressure situations,” said Dean.

"We've talked a lot about it, you know we want to perform well when we're under the pump, and when eyes are on us, and I feel like we're getting to a place where we're learning how to do that. I'm excited to see, you know, if we can, we can stand up when it really matters, because I really believe that our team,” she added.