WBBL teams Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder to tour UAE to promote women’s cricket

The Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi will host a one-off T20 match between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder on June 5 as part of their UAE tour. Francois Nel / Getty Images

Two Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) teams from Australia, the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, will tour the UAE for a training camp next month.

Hosted by Sport Arabia Worldwide, the training camp will be held in June at the ICC Global Cricket Academy at Dubai Sports City. There will also be a Twenty20 match between the two teams at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on June 5.

The match will be a repeat of the inaugural WBBL season final showdown in January, with Sydney Thunder clinching the title after a three wicket victory.

As well as a training camp, the aim of the trip will be to help promote women’s cricket in the UAE, and the women’s national team have been invited to meet the teams and take part in training sessions. “We’re delighted to be hosting the first Big Bash franchise tour to the UAE”, said Matthew Jackson, Managing Director of Sport Arabia Worldwide.

“Our professional team clients, including England, New Zealand and Counties, have chosen the UAE as their tour destination for a number of years now. It’s testimony to our work over the past 10 years as the premier sports tour operator in the region, and to the quality of facilities in the UAE, that we are hosting teams from all over the world.”

The WBBL replaced the WNCL Australian Women’s Twenty20 Cup last year, and is run alongside the men’s Big Bash League.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport