Defending champions Australia are undoubtedly the favourites, while India's rapid improvement over the last two years sees them as the closest challengers, especially on home soil. England start their campaign with a tricky fixture on 3 October against South Africa, who they cannot take lightly despite their inconsistency. For Edwards' side though, considering the increased investment in the women's game and its ever-growing professionalism, it is unlikely they have entered a tournament under this level of scrutiny before. It has never been a question of the players' potential - it is whether they can handle the pressure. The last 50-over World Cup in 2022 papered over a lot of the cracks as they lost three group-stage matches but still reached the final.