Edinburgh, July 14: The Emirates Cricket Board emerged as one of the biggest winners at the ICC Development Awards 2025, securing three global honors for its efforts in promoting the sport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and advancing women’s cricket.
The awards were presented during the ICC’s annual conference held in Edinburgh, celebrating the best development programs, initiatives, and performances from ICC associate members worldwide.
The Emirates Cricket Board received the ‘Marriott Bonvoy ICC Development Initiative of the Year’ award for its unique ‘Girls Under-15 Academy League’, marking the first initiative of its kind in the region. This program has provided young girls with more opportunities to play competitive cricket while promoting inclusivity and accessibility.
For the second consecutive year, the Emirates Cricket Board and Turkey Cricket were jointly awarded the ‘ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year’. This recognition was for the board’s efforts in advancing the legacy of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The ‘Interschool Kryo Gulf Cup’ and ‘Get Into Cricket – Girls Only’ programs have brought the sport to schools and communities where opportunities for girls were previously limited.
Additionally, the UAE won the ‘ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year’ award. The women’s team’s campaign against Zimbabwe was particularly memorable, as they drew their first ODI series 2-2 after gaining ODI status, and later defeated Zimbabwe 2-0 in a T20 series, marking their first series win against a higher-ranked full member nation away from home.
Zayed Abbas, a member of the Emirates Cricket Board, described these awards as a significant encouragement for everyone associated with UAE cricket.
He stated, “These awards are a huge motivation for the management, officials, players, and support staff of the Emirates Cricket Board. We thank the International Cricket Council for recognizing associate members who face significant challenges in implementing such initiatives.”
Abbas emphasized that this recognition strengthens the board’s commitment to invest in the development of cricket, particularly women’s cricket. The acknowledgment received by the women’s team truly inspires them and provides tremendous motivation for the continuous growth and progress of women’s cricket in the country. The increasing popularity of women’s cricket, bolstered by greater media attention and the expansion of school and academy programs, has laid a strong foundation for the future.
He added, “Now thousands of girls are playing cricket. This means we have a solid base to build upon in the coming years. Many of these girls will eventually represent UAE’s junior and senior teams, and we are committed to providing them with every opportunity and support.”
Abbas also mentioned that the board plans to expand its development programs while ensuring that the national team gets more opportunities to compete against strong opponents. Participation in the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 will be a significant opportunity for the players. They are also focused on qualifying for the ICC Women’s T20 and ODI World Cups, expressing full confidence in their players.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.