UAE set to host Women's T20 World Cup in October

Ten-team tournament has been switched from Bangladesh by ICC due to recent unrest in South Asian country

The Australian team after winning the ICC Women's T20 World Cup after they beat South Africa in the final at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town in 2023. Getty Images

The UAE will stage the Women’s T20 World Cup in October after the ICC switched the event from Bangladesh.

A number of countries participating in the 10-team tournament expressed their concern at the unrest in Bangladesh.

After considering India, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as new hosts, the sport’s governing body opted instead to move it to the Emirates.

The 23 matches will be played across Dubai and Sharjah, from October 3 to 20.

“It is a shame not to be hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board would have staged a memorable event,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC chief executive, said.

“I would like to thank the team at the BCB for exploring all avenues to try to enable the event to be hosted in Bangladesh, but travel advisories from the governments of a number of the participating teams meant that wasn’t feasible.

“However, they will retain hosting rights. We look forward to taking an ICC global event to Bangladesh in the near future.

“I’d also like to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for stepping in to host on behalf of the BCB and Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for their generous offers of support, and we look forward to seeing ICC global events in both of those countries in 2026.”

It is the second time in recent years that the UAE has stepped in to host a world event in cricket in response to a crisis.

Back in 2022, the men’s version of the 20-over showpiece was played in the country, with Oman acting as co-hosts for a set of first-round matches, too.

That event had been due to be staged in India, but the Emirates was viewed as a safer option as the world attempted to control the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The UAE has also successfully hosted the qualifying event for the past two Women’s T20 World Cups, in Abu Dhabi.

The national team only narrowly missed out on qualifying for this competition earlier this year, when they lost to Sri Lanka in the semi-final.

Although it is unlikely to ease the heartache of the national team’s players at missing out, the fact the World Cup is to be staged here is another significant moment in the rapid advance of the women’s game in this country.

Seeing international stars like Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alyssa Healy, Hayley Matthews and Smriti Mandhana play in person should provide a boost for aspiring female cricketers in the UAE.

Many of the leading players in the women’s game here initially took their heroes from countries such as India and Sri Lanka, before discovering there was a UAE team to play for.

The sport has developed apace in recent years, with a substantial growth in the number of women and girls involved in regular competition.

That has been reflected in the progress made by the national team. They made it to a global qualifier for the first time two years ago. They finished seventh out of eight teams on their tournament debut back then.

When they returned to the global qualifier this year, they were within 15 runs of reaching the World Cup, only to lose out to a Sri Lanka side who then went on to win the Asia Cup.

The ICC initially approached India about the possibility of stepping in to host on behalf of Bangladesh.

But Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, declined the opportunity as the 50-over version is set to be staged there next year.

“They have asked us if we would conduct the World Cup,” Shah was quoted as saying in the Indian media this week.

“I have categorically said no. We’re in the monsoon and on top of that we will host the Women’s ODI World Cup next year. I don’t want to give any kind of signals that I want to hold consecutive World Cups.”