The country, which lost to Bangladesh by a score of nine to zero in its first women's international match in 2007, is now on the verge of a historic event. A victory in the last Group B match against Bangladesh—the opponents from their debut match in 2007—on Tuesday in Dubai will allow the UAE team, led by Esha Oza, to secure a historic place in the Women's T20 Asia Cup semi-finals.
Nearly two decades after their unsuccessful debut with a 'mothers and daughters' team, the UAE has received a golden opportunity to demonstrate significant progress in their cricket.
When the teams take to the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday at 18:30, Chaya Mugal will be closely watching every moment with great anticipation. It was under her leadership that the UAE debuted at the Asia Cup in 2022.
Now, as the team fights for a semi-final spot after qualifying for the Asia Cup for the third consecutive time, Mugal feels proud. The former UAE captain told Khaleej Times: 'We are potentially just one win away from making it into one of Asia's top four teams. This will be a huge step for women's cricket in the UAE, especially considering the first Asia Cup will be held in the UAE.'
Mugal emphasized that the current situation is a privilege for the UAE while the country strives to attract more young girls to cricket. She noted that many schoolgirls will come to watch the game the next day (Tuesday), and they conducted trophy tours in various schools on Monday, so the girls are very excited.
'So I think we are really looking forward to this—a good cricket game in front of a crowd. We just need to play better than Bangladesh for one night. I think this will be a big story for us.'
The UAE, which surprised the Zimbabwe team, a full member of the ICC, in a bilateral series last year, is now among the most stable affiliated teams in the world, having gained ODI status last year. Women's cricket in the country is bearing fruit from the far-sighted initiatives undertaken by the Emirates Cricket Board, which received the ICC Development Award.
Mugal added that the Asia Cup is a chance to raise awareness in UAE schools. She mentioned that several years ago, it was difficult to find a good group of players capable of playing cricket, but now the development program is working very well. 'The best part is that we now have many players waiting in line and trying to make it into the national team. Seeing these girls master the sport is very inspiring.'
Mugal believes that a spot in the Asia Cup semi-finals will be the finishing touch. She noted that they are playing against the best teams in Asia, and gaining such experience for the players, the opportunity to play against those they have always dreamed of meeting—Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and if they reach the semi-finals, India—is a huge experience.
Former UAE men's captain Ahmed Raza, who previously coached the women's team, believes that Esha's team has the potential for a sensation against Bangladesh. He recalled that this is the same UAE team that defeated Zimbabwe last year. He noted that it was a historic moment—their first ODI tournament, first ODI victory, and first T20 series victory against a full ICC member. 'This entire tour, covering ODI and T20, was full of premieres. So many records were broken left, right, and center.'