England women's team captain targets ruthless ODI wins against Pakistan

England captain Heather Knight wants her team to maintain their ruthless winning streak in the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan.

After a 3-0 sweep in the T20 series, the hosts are set for the three ODIs starting Thursday in Derby. Despite the focus on the T20 World Cup in October, Knight emphasizes the importance of ODIs.

"Our goal is to improve as a team in all formats and keep winning series ruthlessly, as we did in the T20s," she said.

In 2023, England played six ODIs, winning series against Australia, Sri Lanka, and a 2-1 series in New Zealand. The 50-over World Cup is in India in 2025, with three ODIs in the multi-format Ashes in January.

Under head coach Jon Lewis, England aims to adopt a more assertive playing style. Knight urges her team to maintain this approach in ODIs, stating, "We aim to be positive, and in ODIs, we have more time to read situations. We didn't get that tempo right in New Zealand, so we hope to show our style here."

Opener Tammy Beaumont and seamer Kate Cross join the squad, while Nat Sciver-Brunt remains unable to bowl.

England played three spinners in the T20s, and Knight highlights the challenge of team balance, saying, "We want to be positive with our batting and have depth, so the team's balance is something to consider."