The UAE women's cricket team was honored with the ICC Associate Member Women's Performance of the Year award for their remarkable performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They secured significant wins against the host country, Qatar, and Bahrain, followed by a semifinal triumph over Hong Kong. In a nail-biting final against a formidable Thailand team, Kavisha Egodage's exceptional skills led to a six-run victory, propelling them to the global qualifier earlier in 2024. The team, led by Esha Oza, continued to excel, reaching the semifinal stage through outstanding performances. They were narrowly defeated by the highly experienced Sri Lanka in a tense match at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary of Emirates Cricket Board, expressed his pride in the team's achievement, stating, “Winning the ICC Associate Member Women’s Performance of the Year award is a proud moment for UAE cricket. Over the last few years, we have laid special emphasis on promoting and developing women’s cricket and it is heartening to see those efforts have now started to bear fruit.” He highlighted the team's unbeaten run in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifiers in Malaysia and praised Esha Oza's exceptional leadership. Usmani also commended the team's resilience against more seasoned international teams, noting their close fight against Sri Lanka in the recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi.
The Emirates Cricket Board remains committed to investing in the development of women’s cricket nationwide. The UAE team is currently in Sri Lanka for the Women's Asia Cup (July 19-28), starting their Group A matches against Nepal on July 19, followed by India on July 21 and Pakistan on July 23. Group B consists of hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Malaysia, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals.
