The 3rd ODI between United Arab Emirates (UAE) Women and Zimbabwe Women at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, serves as a thrilling decider with the series poised at 1-1, heightening the stakes for both sides. UAE Women, playing their maiden ODI series, made history with a confident win in the opener, while Zimbabwe hit back powerfully in the second match, showcasing their experience and composure.
UAE Women impressed in their format debut, clinching the first ODI with a robust total of 222/5, thanks largely to Rinitha Rajith’s unbeaten 59 and Michelle Botha’s resilient lower-order stand. Their bowlers, led by Samaira Dharnidharka and Esha Oza, displayed discipline, picking up crucial wickets to secure a 36-run win.
Zimbabwe bounced back in the second ODI, restricting UAE to 160 before openers Modester Mupachikwa and Kelis Ndhlovu put up a commanding 121-run partnership to seal a six-wicket win, with Mupachikwa’s steady half-century underlining Zimbabwe’s batting depth.
Squads:
Zimbabwe Women’s Cricket Team
Adel Zimunu, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Nyasha Gwanzura, Runyararo Pasipanodya, Beloved Biza, Christabel Chatonzwa, Josephine Nkomo, Kelis Ndhlovu, Chiedza Dhururu, Modester Mupachikwa, Francisca Chipare, Kudzai Chigora, Lindokuhle Mabhero, Loreen Tshuma, Nomvelo Sibanda
UAE Women’s Cricket Team
Rinitha Rajith, Siya Gokhale, Udeni Dona, Esha Oza, Lavanya Keny, Michelle Botha, Samaira Dharnidharka, Emily Thomas, Theertha Satish, Al Maseera, Athige Silva, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Mehak Thakur, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh
Players to watch out:
Modester Mupachikwa
Modester Mupachikwa is a right-handed batter and wicketkeeper from Zimbabwe, born on January 19, 1997. She made her international debut in T20Is in 2019 and her ODI debut in 2021. She has scored 574 runs from 25 T20I outings, registering the highest of 77. She was one of the leading runs-scorers for Zimbabwe in the 2nd ODI, scoring 52 alongside Ndhlovu.
Nyasha Gwanzura
Nyasha Gwanzura is a right-handed batter and right-arm medium bowler from Zimbabwe, born on January 14, 1996. She made her WODI debut in October 2021 and is known for her solid batting technique and occasional bowling, contributing crucial runs and supporting Zimbabwe in international qualifiers and tournaments. She has added 158 runs to the tally from 11 innings and picked up 3 wickets from 2 innings, registering bests of 35* and 2/18 – coming in the 2nd ODI.
Heena Hotchandani
Heena Hotchandani is a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and left-handed batter from the United Arab Emirates, born on October 22, 2000. She made her international debut for the UAE Women’s team in 2018 and has played domestic cricket for teams like Tripura and Pondicherry. Heena was the highest runs-scorer for UAE in the second game with 34 runs and has proven herself in T20Is, with 221 runs and 27 wickets.
Theertha Satish
Theertha Satish is a left-handed wicketkeeper-batter born in Chennai and representing UAE Women’s cricket since 2021, known for her quick judgement of length and aggressive leg-side play. She scored 28 runs in the second game of the series giving a solid stand to the UAE team. In T20Is, she has amassed 1866 runs from 76 innings, at an average of 31.10 and a strike rate of 111.40.
Pitch:
The pitch at Bulawayo is generally known to be a balanced surface that offers something for both batters and bowlers. It tends to be fairly true, providing consistent bounce and pace, which helps stroke play, but it can assist seam bowlers with movement early on. As the game progresses, it may also dry out, giving spinners some turn and grip.
Weather:
The weather will be hot and sunny with temperatures rising to about 34°C and dropping to 19°C at night. No rain is expected, and humidity will be low, creating dry conditions. Winds may be moderate with a breezy feel throughout the day.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Rinitha Rajith, Esha Oza, Lavanya Keny, Michelle Botha, Theertha Satish, Heena Hotchandani, Nyasha Gwanzura, Josephine Nkomo, Kelis Ndhlovu, Modester Mupachikwa, Loreen Tshuma
Match Details:
Date – September 30, 2025
Time – 12:45 PM IST
Venue – Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Broadcast – T.B.C.
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