Esha Oza and Theertha Satish continued their preparations for the FairBreak Invitational by helping UAE to a second T20 international win over Hong Kong in Ajman on Thursday night.
The top-order batting duo are among a contingent of four locally based players who have been selected to play in the new T20 competition.
The six-team event, to be played at Dubai International Stadium from May 4, includes many of the leading names from the women’s game.
Heather Knight, the England captain, has been confirmed as the captain of the Barmy Army side. She will join a roster of players for the tournament which includes the likes of Laura Wolvaardt, Sophie Ecclestone and Deandra Dottin.
For the UAE players who are featuring, it will be the most high-profile competition they have yet played.
They will be taking some fine form into it. Thursday’s 28-run win over Hong Kong at the Malek Cricket Ground in Ajman was the national team’s second in successive nights. It also took their winning streak up to 12 matches in T20Is.
Oza was player of the match. The towering opener made the most of some good fortune, as she was dropped four times plus an additional time off a no-ball, as she made 53 from 51 balls.
After a slow start, UAE had a stylish innings of 47 from 34 balls by wicketkeeper Theertha to thank for hoisting them up to 131 for five from their 20 overs.
That proved well beyond the touring side, the majority of whom are featuring in the FairBreak tournament, which is organised by Hong Kong Cricket.
Chaya Mughal, the UAE captain who is also set for the FairBreak event, took two for 10 from her four overs as the hosts applied the pressure at the start of the Hong Kong reply.
Kavisha Kumari, the UAE’s other FairBreak participant, had a rare off night with the bat. But she did execute a remarkable run out with a direct hit from the boundary to dismiss opener Shanzeen Shahzad.
Vaishnave Mahesh and Khushi Sharma each took two wickets as Hong Kong were limited to 103 for eight in their reply.
