London, March 22 : Heather Knight has stepped down as England women's team captain after nearly nine years, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Saturday. The development comes a day after head coach Jon Lewis' departure following their 16-0 drubbing against Australia in the Ashes series. Knight will continue to be available for selection.

Knight has captained England 199 times since 2016, including leading the team to a home World Cup victory in 2017 and to two other ICC tournament finals. She oversaw 134 victories as England women captain, second on the list of England women's all-time most successful captains.

She also led the team to a record-breaking run of eight consecutive ODI series wins including defeating Australia during the 2023 home Ashes, in which England also won the T20I series to draw a thrilling women's Ashes that took interest in international women's cricket to a new level.

"However, on the back of disappointing performances by the team in last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE and the recent Ashes in Australia, the ECB has decided to appoint a new captain to lead the team into a new era. Knight's successor will be appointed shortly," the ECB said in a statement.

'Captaining my country for the last nine years has been the biggest honour of my life and I will look back on my tenure with an enormous sense of pride. I have loved the challenge of leading the team, but all good things come to an end and it's time for me to go back into the ranks and focus on being the best batter and teammate that I can be for the team," Knight said.

'Winning the ICC Women's World Cup on home turf at Lord's in 2017 will always be a huge highlight, but being a part of the huge steps forward made in the women's game off the pitch brings me just as much pride.

'Thank you to all the players and staff, who have given it everything along the way - especially Mark, Lisa and Jon, three head coaches that I've loved working with. The people make the job.

'Thank you to the fans that have supported me and the team through the highs and the lows. Finally, to my friends, family and long-suffering partner Tim, you live the journey with me and I wouldn't be here without your support.

'I have loved being England Captain, it's been the most rewarding period of my career, but for now I'm excited to focus on my batting and supporting the team and the new captain in the best way I can," she added.

Knight made her England debut in 2010 and ten years later became the first England men's or women's player to score an international century in all three formats of the game.

Clare Connor, ECB Managing Director, England Women, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, said, 'Heather has been an outstanding leader as England Women's Captain. She has led the team by example as a role model off the pitch, and through the runs she has scored on it ' often in the toughest conditions.

'Heather has enjoyed many highlights as England captain. I particularly remember the century she scored in the Ashes Test at Canberra in 2022 where her individual brilliance nearly helped the team pull off a famous win. It was an innings of great skill and great heart.

'She led the team brilliantly to win a World Cup on home turf, creating memories we will never forget. That magical day at Lord's acted as a catalyst for so much of the growth we have seen for women's and girls' cricket in the years since.

'Heather is passionate about inspiring young girls to play cricket and to playing her part in making our sport gender-balanced. She is a powerful role model to young professional female players and to recreational players alike. Having started her England career as an amateur, she has always understood the important connection between the England team and the grassroots game.'

/IANS