Commonwealth Games can be ‘game changer’ for women’s cricket – Heather Knight

Heather Knight admits England’s Twenty20 focus has already turned to the Commonwealth Games, a tournament she hopes will push cricket towards being an Olympic sport again.

England start their three-match T20 programme with South Africa in Chelmsford on Thursday holding an 8-2 lead in the multi-format series.

Knight’s side swept the one-day matches 3-0 and South Africa can only level the series by producing their own T20 whitewash.

But women’s cricket will be involved at the Commonwealth Games for the first time at Birmingham, with the tournament due to get under way on July 29, and Knight believes it is a “game changer”.

Knight said: “It is a chance for us as a sport to reach some people we haven’t reached before. A huge stage to show what we can do.

“The platform to reach so many people is there, so our job is to be successful and show the skills that we have.

“It’s massive how much women’s cricket has changed and this could be another game changer in terms of reaching new people and a different level.”

It's massive how much women's cricket has changed and this could be another game changer in terms of reaching new people and a different level- England captain Heather Knight

A men’s cricket competition was held at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, with South Africa taking gold by beating Australia in the final.

The only Olympic cricket competition was at Paris 1900 when only two countries took part and Great Britain overcame hosts France to win gold.

Asked if cricket could become part of the Olympics, Knight said: “Potentially. Long after I’ve retired it might well happen.

“I think T20 would be the format, like it is in the Commonwealths, and the conversation would have to be had about schedules.

“There’s a