The UAE women's cricket team has achieved a historic milestone. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has granted One Day International (ODI) status to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) women's team.
Sports News: A significant development has occurred in women's cricket. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made a new decision regarding ODI status for women's cricket. The USA women's team has been stripped of its ODI status, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) women's team has been granted ODI status in its place. This decision will be effective for the new cycle from 2025 to 2029, commencing May 12th.
This decision was made under the ICC's annual review process, which involved a thorough evaluation of women's cricket teams' performance, rankings, and standards. The UAE women's team achieved this by securing the 16th position in the T20I rankings, making them the next best associate team. With this achievement, the UAE is now among the 16 women's teams officially recognized to play ODIs.
USA Stripped of ODI Status
This is a significant setback for the USA women's team. While the USA has strived to promote women's cricket in recent years, declining recent performance and rankings led the ICC to revoke their ODI status. Consequently, the USA has been removed from the ICC's top 16 women's ODI teams list. The USA team is currently playing a One Day International series against Zimbabwe, but the ICC's announcement has cast doubt on their future.
Historic Achievement for the UAE
This is a major and historic opportunity for the UAE women's team. This achievement allows the UAE to establish a new identity in women's cricket. The UAE team is currently participating in a T20I tournament in Bangkok, alongside Thailand, Hong Kong, and Kuwait. With the ODI status, the UAE will now participate in more international matches, providing valuable experience and opportunities for players to prove themselves on the international stage.
Other Associate Teams Retain Status
Besides the UAE, associate women's teams like Thailand, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and Scotland have retained their ODI status. Thailand and Scotland recently participated in the Women's World Cup Qualifier in Pakistan, with Scotland finishing fourth after defeating the West Indies and Thailand. Thailand, despite losing all their matches and finishing last, retained their ODI status thanks to their T20I ranking.
PNG and the Netherlands also maintained their positions due to b T20I rankings. According to ICC rules, teams must play at least eight ODIs within a four-year period to maintain their ODI status.
Australia Dominates T20I Rankings
In the T20I rankings, Australia remains at the top with 299 points, followed by England with 279 points and India with 260 points. For associate teams like the UAE, this achievement can play a significant role in the expansion and popularity of women's cricket in the future.
