Knight appointed England women's team captain

London, June 3 (IANS) The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Friday announced that Heather Knight will be the captain of the national women's team across all three formats of the game.

Knight's first test will be against Pakistan later this month in the three-match One-Day International and three-match Twenty20 International series which kick starts on June 20.

England women's vice-captain since 2014, Knight currently leads Berkshire in the Royal London Women's One-Day County Championship, in addition to having captained the Hobart Hurricanes in the inaugural Australian Women's Big Bash League.

"I'm hugely proud and honoured to be named England captain and can't wait to face the challenges ahead," Knight was quoted as saying by the ECB website.

"It's a fresh, exciting time for the team and I'm looking forward to seeing how we can develop together at the start of this new era for England women's cricket. All our focus is now on what we have to come, starting with the Pakistan series this summer."

Speaking about former captain Charlotte Edwards whose shoes Knight has to fill now, the 25-year-old said, "It will be no easy task to follow the remarkable success and impact that Charlotte Edwards enjoyed at the helm of the England team over the last 10 years -- she has been a wonderful servant to the game, an inspirational leader and truly world class player."

--IANS

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