“Who are we? UAE!” UAE go into this tournament as one of the underdogs having placed second in the Asia Region Qualifiers. The team is an eclectic mix of youth and experience and will be looking to prove themselves on the big stage.
They have much to gain from performing at this tournament, particularly with regards to garnering recognition from their board who did not provide them with a physio in the November qualifiers.
Key Players:
All-rounder Nisha Ali exudes confidence on the field and was named Player of the Tournament in the qualifiers. The right-hand batting all-rounder made 90 runs on the low-scoring Thai pitches and claimed 12 wickets. She has heaps of experience having played cricket in India and hopes to compete against her former home team in the World T20.
Opener Esha Oza is another player to watch, having already chalked up 112 runs in her three warm-up games. With her flawless technique and remarkable patience, we expect to see great things from the 20-year old.
Although not advertised as a key player, Heena Hotchandani has caught the eye with her excellent performance in the warm-up games. The veteran left-arm orthodox bowler cleaned up the Netherlands’ tail-enders with figures of 4-0-7-4.
Finally, former Sri Lanka captain Chamani Senevirathne brings her wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. Captain Humaira Tasneem will be able to leverage this knowledge to help with her on-field decision making.
Strengths:
UAE’s biggest strength is their veteran players hailing from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. In pressure situations and against the likes of Ireland and Bangladesh, the team will rely heavily on these players to anchor their innings and lead their bowling attack. They can take heart from their victory against the Netherlands in the warm-up games, and have little to lose but much to gain.
Weaknesses:
Whilst these senior players are a boon for the team in the batting and bowling departments, they are not as dexterous in the field as their youthful counterparts. As any who play cricket will know, it is hard to hide fielders and the ball tends to follow those who are weakest. UAE will have to work hard to match the fielding prowess of their Thai, Scottish and Irish opponents.
Importance:
The UAE women aim to chalk up as many wins as possible to prove to their board that they are worth investing time and money in.
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