ICC Womens Emerging Nations Trophy Set to Feature 10 Teams in UAE
The ICC Womens Emerging Nations Trophy will host 10 teams in Ajman, UAE, from November 12-25, enhancing international womens cricket.
Ajman, October 29 (Daily Kiran) : The ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy is gearing up for its second edition, scheduled from November 12 to 25 in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. This year, the tournament will feature ten teams for the first time, including Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, alongside five associate members. The event aims to strengthen international women’s cricket.
Matches will take place at the Karwan Sports and Seven Districts Grounds. Teams will be divided into two groups of five. Following the group stage, a Super Six phase will lead to the finals. The tournament format has been approved based on recommendations from the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee and will be confirmed by the ICC Chief Executives Committee.
This expanded lineup will bring together teams at various levels of international play, providing players with greater exposure and more opportunities to compete at a high level.
Group A consists of Ireland, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, Sri Lanka, and the UAE, while Group B includes Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Thailand, and Zimbabwe.
Gaurav Saxena, ICC General Manager for Events and Cricket Operations, stated that the inclusion of full members will offer emerging teams better international opportunities and contribute to the growth of women’s cricket. He noted, “Expanding the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy to ten teams is a crucial step in providing more meaningful international competition for emerging teams and supporting the ongoing development of women’s cricket. Bringing together five full members and five associate members will give players valuable opportunities to test themselves against a variety of teams and gain experience in a high-performance environment. We are excited to welcome the participating teams to Ajman for the second edition of the tournament.”
In the inaugural edition held in 2025, Thailand emerged as the champion on home soil, finishing tied on points with Scotland, the Netherlands, and the UAE. The final standings were determined by net run rate.
The first competition also provided a platform for individual performances to progress in the ICC Women’s T20 Player Rankings, emphasizing the importance of regular international exposure for developing teams.
