Danni Wyatt: Everyone's getting onboard with Jon Lewis approach

England became the first team in a Women's T20 World Cup match to reach the 200 mark in a win by 114 runs that was also the biggest margin of victory in the competition's history

Nick Friend | 21/02/2023 at 16:36

Danni Wyatt toasted a record-breaking day as England closed out their T20 World Cup group stage by hammering Pakistan for the highest total in the tournament's history.

Led by Wyatt's half century and an unbeaten 81 from Nat Sciver-Brunt, England racked up 213 for 5, becoming the first team to hit the 200-mark in the women's competition, while the 114-run margin of victory was also the largest ever. Only once have England made a higher total in women's T20Is.

"Another record so [Jon Lewis] will be happy with that," joked Wyatt, who put together her first half century of the tournament and hit two sixes in her 33-ball 59.

She added: "I've always tried to go hard from ball one anyway, but I think it's great that everyone's getting onboard with it now and everyone's talking about it every day, in training, in team meetings."

Similarly to the men's Test team under Brendon McCullum, Lewis' mantra since replacing Lisa Keightley as England Women's head coach has focused on freedom to attack and "walking towards danger".

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^{England were in clinical mood in Cape Town (Ashley Vlotman/Getty Images)}

His charges smashed 25 fours and four sixes in a brutal onslaught that included a hundred-run partnership between Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones that was brought up in just 46 deliveries.

"Lewy is just trying to get it into our heads to go out there and just be brave and take it on," said Wyatt. "That's what T20 cricket is all about at the end of the day."

Her return to form – this was her first half century since the first T20I of the Caribbean tour in December – was a major fillip for England ahead of their semi-final at the same venue on Friday.

"I just tried not to think too much, just breath and chill," said Wyatt. "In World Cups, you can get a bit stressed out if you're not getting as many runs as you'd want. So, I decided today that I was going to go out there, back myself, be positive and do well for England."

England captain Heather Knight admitted that she was pleased for her long-time opener, particularly as the business end of the tournament comes into play.

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^{Pakistan were on the wrong end of a record defeat (Ashley Vlotman/Getty Images)}

"We talked about really trying to take some momentum into the semis and trying to put our best performance together," said Knight, "and I thought that was outstanding – the way the batters took the game on and the bowlers closed it out.

"I was really pleased with Danni. The way she's been batting in the nets, it wasn't too far away for a score like that. The way that she and Sophia (Dunkley) are aggressive at the top, there are always going to be mixed returns."

She also confirmed that 22-year-old seamer Lauren Bell was merely rested ahead of the knockout phase, with Freya Davies replacing her for a first outing of the competition. Katherine Sciver-Brunt, who was well below her best in the win over India, returned figures of 2 for 14 from her four overs.

Knight declared that the veteran seamer had "bowled brilliantly".