From "rubbish year" to redemption, Heather Knight finds joy and form

Indore | A few months ago, Heather Knight wasn't sure if she would even make it to the England squad for the Women's World Cup.

The England veteran had lost her captaincy, torn her hamstring and was staring at the bleak possibility of surgery that could have ended her season. For someone who called 2025 a "rubbish year", Sunday's century against India was a poetic turnaround.

The 34-year-old, celebrating her 300th international appearance, produced a brilliant century to lift England to a tense four-run victory and confirm their place in the knockout stages.

"I'm really pleased. Like I've had pretty rubbish year, not going to lie before this World Cup," she said after the game.

"I was really keen to try and make the most of it and try and enjoy just being here because obviously it was pretty tight to make it here. I've made a real conscious effort to try and enjoy the trip and try and enjoy what I do and try and get the best out of myself in my batting.

Knight's rough patch began earlier in the year when she was removed as England captain following a disappointing Ashes campaign. Just as she was regrouping, fate struck again in May, a torn tendon in her right hamstring during a T20I against the West Indies left her World Cup participation in serious doubt.

Doctors advised surgery, which would have sidelined her for up to six months. Instead, Knight backed her instincts and chose intensive rehab over the knife, like she did 12 years ago when she had copped a similar injury.

Five months later, she has been vindicated. With 235 runs in four innings at an average of 78.33, she is now England's batting rock and one of the tournament's top performers.

"Sometimes you take it for granted when you're kind of on the treadmill of international cricket and when you do get injured, you have that bit of time to reflect and realize how fun it is and the opportunities that you do get and I was really keen to try and make the most of the opportunities during this World Cup and and contribute as much as I can.

The road back was far from smooth. The moment she felt her hamstring snap remains etched in memory.

"That was a pretty awful day, to be honest. When I felt my hamstring rip off, that was not that fun. So to be here now and obviously to be over that injury and to be contributing to the team being successful and in the semi-finals now in the World Cup is a cool place to be.

Knight's sweeping prowess was on full display against India as she laced her 91-ball innings with 15 boundaries and a six to get her third ODI ton and highest-ever score in WODIs.

"It was a productive shot for me today. I just felt like the threat with a little bit of hold in the wicket, felt like I was finding it quite hard to hit down the ground and obviously India packed the sort of fielders on the leg side in front, so I felt like it was a bit of a risk at times hitting down the ground.

"I just felt like my sweep was working and obviously the reverse is a shot that I'm really comfortable playing and I was left a gap and just felt like it was on today.

"Sometimes it's not always the conditions, but when a shot's working for you on a certain day, just sticking with that and it seemed to work out quite well and more just like around manipulating fields and things like that is something that I have in my locker and something that I work really hard on, particularly against off spin when we're in turning conditions, albeit it didn't turn as much today.

"But because of the conditions we've been in, I've been working pretty hard on trying to sweep online and trying to use my different sweeps to manipulate the field," she added.