The UAE women’s cricket team has been recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the development work and progress it has made in the past two years.
The women’s game in the UAE reached a new level as the national team qualified for the 2026 Asia Cup last month. Before that, the national team earned ODI status last year, underlining the growth of the game in the Emirates, which has produced players such as Mahika Gaur, who went on to play for England.
After gaining ODI status, the UAE drew an ODI series against Zimbabwe 2-2 before securing a 2-0 T20 series win. It was their maiden series win over a higher-ranked full-member nation away from home.
Their efforts were recognised by the world governing body as the UAE won in three categories at the ICC Development Awards.
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) was awarded the Development Initiative of the Year in recognition of the Girls U15 Academy League, which created opportunities for young players to pursue the game.
The ECB also emerged as joint winners alongside Turkey Cricket for the ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year. Following the successful hosting of the 2024 T20 World Cup, the UAE witnessed growth in girls' cricket through the Interschool Criiio Gulf Cup and the Emirates Cricket Board’s Get into Cricket – Girls Only programme.
And finally, the UAE team’s efforts in Zimbabwe helped them pocket the ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year award.
The awards were a result of the hard work put in by the UAE cricket board and the structured support provided by the world governing body.
Following the hosting of the T20 World Cup two years ago, the ICC created a legacy fund of around $200,000 for the UAE through which various development works and events were initiated in conjunction with the ECB.
Under the partnership, 15 Criiio Festivals were delivered across the UAE, while the Get into Girls Cricket programme expanded from two venues before the legacy programme to five across different emirates.
With the co-ordinated efforts of the ECB and the ICC, five players who came through the Get into Girls Cricket programme made their debuts for the UAE national team over the past two years, with around 15 more players progressing along national team pathways.
According to the ICC, women’s cricket in the UAE has witnessed substantial growth over the past few years. Senior female participation has increased from 315 to a staggering 1,155 players, while junior cricket (420 to 750 players) has also seen impressive growth.
“The growth of women’s cricket in the UAE has been the strongest legacy outcome from the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The ICC’s legacy fund was designed to ensure the tournament created impact beyond the event itself, and we are delighted to see that reflected through increased participation, stronger playing opportunities and clearer development pathways for girls and women across the country,” William Glenwright, ICC general manager – Development, told The National.
“The Emirates Cricket Board’s success at the ICC Development Awards is strong evidence of that progress. To be recognised across development, female cricket and women’s team performance shows the breadth of growth taking place in the UAE, from schools and community programmes through to incredible national team performances.
“The UAE is part of a much wider global story. Across our Associate Members, we are seeing outstanding examples of women’s cricket being used to create opportunity, build sustainable structures and inspire the next generation. The UAE's success shows how major ICC events, when connected to targeted legacy programmes, can accelerate development, reduce barriers to entry and leave a lasting impact that's felt both on and off the pitch.”
One member of the UAE women’s cricket community who will not be around to witness the next chapter of growth is Ahmed Raza. The former UAE international ended a 21-year involvement with UAE cricket after resigning as coach of the women’s national team last month.
