The 37-year-old World Cup winner, who announced her retirement from the sport in May of last year, said she was "thrilled" to be given the role for the tournament in England and Wales.

Edwards played more than 220 games for England and captained her country to World Cup glory in 2009, where they beat New Zealand in the final in Australia.

She also lifted the ICC Women's World Twenty20 trophy in the same year on home soil at Lord's, which will host the 2017 World Cup final on July 23.

Edwards was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2009 and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2014 for her services to cricket.

"It is a great honour to be an ambassador at what I believe will be the greatest ICC Women's World Cup to be held to date," Edwards, who scored more than 10,000 runs in all formats for England and was the first player - man or woman - to reach 2,500 runs in Twenty20 cricket, said.

"The support for women’s cricket has always been outstanding in England and Wales. 

"Every team receives a vibrant and enthusiastic welcome here which I'm sure will make for a fantastic and highly competitive tournament.

"The grounds that have been chosen - Bristol, Derby, Leicester and Taunton - are great venues to witness the action unfold and, of course, it is capped by a final to be held at the Home of Cricket - Lord's. 

"That will be a memorable occasion for everyone involved - one they will cherish for the rest of their lives."

England are due to open their World Cup campaign against India in Derby on the opening day of the competition on June 24.