In a bizarre display of strategic moves, the United Arabs Emirates (UAE) women’s cricket team executed a prodigious tactic during their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025 match against Qatar. In a bid to avoid rain, the UAE made a bold decision to retire out all ten batters after 16 overs. The move helped secure UAE a remarkable win by 163 runs.
The tournament features nine teams slotting three in one group; the UAE women needed to win the clash against Qatar to proceed to the Super 3 stage of the contest. However, in a bid to encounter rain the strategic move paid off later in the game.
Opting to bat first, the UAE openers, Esha Oza and Theertha Satish, racked up quick runs making 133 off 55 with 19 boundaries for the captain and 74 off 42 respectively. The team batted for only 16 overs after which the UAE management led by experienced all-rounder and coach Ahmed Razaand and the team orchestrated a series of retirement outs, because declaring the innings wasn’t an option. The team had enough on the run board to topple the other side and register a win that would assure qualification.
In the other half of the innings the UAE bowlers unleashed a relentless throw on the Qatar batting lineup, dismissing them for a mere 29 runs in 11.1 overs, led by Michelle Botha 3/ 11. The UAE whitewashed the side within the 12th over mark to secure a remarkable win by 163 runs.
Esha Oza emerged as the player of the match, highlighting the importance of proactive decision-making. This extraordinary end to the game became the first-ever instance in international T20I cricket where every batter was retired out, and the eight scoreless dismissals equaled the second-highest number of ducks in women’s T20I records.
With the win, UAE surged ahead with an unbeatable four-point advantage in their group, guaranteeing progression to the next stage. They will now face the top teams from the other two groups in another round-robin format. The two teams that reach the final will earn qualification for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, set to take place in England.
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