The size of the task facing UAE at the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi next week was emphasised as the national team suffered a second consecutive loss.
The home team lost by 47 runs to Zimbabwe in the T20 Quadrangular tournament at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Monday.
Two days earlier at the same venue, they had fallen to a five-wicket defeat against Thailand at the same venue.
Both of those teams will be part of the UAE’s group in the Qualifier, which starts on Sunday, September 18.
That eight-team event in the capital carries with it two places for the World Cup, which will be played in South Africa next year.
The UAE will be featuring in a global qualifier for the first time, having made rapid progress in the women’s game over the past 18 months.
They were 20 matches unbeaten coming into the Quadrangular tournament but they knew they would be facing sides ranked higher in the standings.
At No12 in the world, Zimbabwe are just two places above the national team, but they were comfortable victors on another hot morning in Dubai.
The national team, who were without Esha Oza and Vaishnave Mahesh, had the tourists 25-2 in the sixth over.
A number of fielding lapses helped Modester Mupachikwa and Mary-Anne Musonda add 109 for the next wicket, as Zimbabwe reached 152-2 from their 20 overs.
The national team scarcely threatened in reply, but at least Theertha Satish supplied some plucky resistance.
The left-handed opener made 39 from 30 balls before chipping up a catch to Esther Mbofana off the off-spin of Precious Marange. The hosts only managed 105-9 in their 20 overs.
UAE will have their final preparation match before the Qualifier when they face United States on Tuesday.