The UAE women’s side will bid to be regional pioneers again when they begin their GCC Women’s Twenty20 campaign in Oman today.
The national team have been playing Asian Cricket Council (ACC) tournaments since 2007, and they were the first to do so among the Arabian Gulf nations.
Although they have proved evenly matched with their neighbours in recent times, the UAE remain the only one to have reached the last four of an ACC competition.
The national age-group team reached the semi-finals of an Under 19 tournament in Singapore in 2010.
The four-team competition in Oman is the first competitive action the UAE have experienced since playing at the ACC Championship in Thailand in February 2013.
Manvi Dodhi, the assistant coach and former player, said the squad of 15 who have been selected from a pool of 40 are confident of their chances in Oman.
“It has been a long time since we last played, but training has been good,” said Dodhi, who will join the team in Muscat this morning, having been at work in her administrative role at Sharjah Stadium until late last night.
“It is T20 and we have a few attacking players, but women’s T20 is not so like men’s.
“The run rate is likely to be five or six an over rather than eight, and we are confident we have a good game plan.”
This is the inaugural GCC women’s T20 tournament. The organisers hope it will become an annual event, with the UAE possible hosts next year.
pradley@thenational.ae
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