Sharjah: Sharjah Cricket Council launched an innovative tournament to lift the standard of women’s cricket in UAE — making them test their skills and endurance against boys’ Under-15 and Under-13 teams.
The matches were keenly contested with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) women’s Red team emerging as champions by defeating Sharjah Academy Under-15 boys’ team by eight wickets. The tournament was the brainchild of Mohammad Hyder Ali, the UAE women’s cricket team coach and Mazhar Khan, the secretary of Sharjah Cricket Council.
Speaking to Gulf News, Ali, who has been grooming women cricketers, said: “We have nearly 35 girls that come for training at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. We came up with this idea of staging a boys versus women’s’ tournament under the Sharjah Cricket Council. It turned out to be a huge success.”
Sharjah Council staged the tournament at the Sharjah Stadium. “It not only gave the women cricketers a good chance to test their skills but also play in a pitch where great international matches were played. It inspired both the women and the young cricketers,” added Ali, who recently coached the UAE national team to triumph in the GCC tournament in Oman.
“Our women’s team is getting stronger with many promising young girls. Chayal Mudgal, who won the Player of the Tournament with 80 runs and four wickets is a teacher by profession. The victory has lifted the morale of the women cricketers who now want to compete strongly in all matches,” she said.
In the final, ECB Women Red team restricted Sharjah Cricket Academy Under-15 boys team to 95 for 9 in 20 overs. Siddhi Pagarani, daughter of Shiva Pagarani of Dubai Cricket Council and Yogi Group team, emerged as the player of the final with three wickets for 18 runs. A leg spinner, Siddhi checked the run-flow.
Esha Oza, who won the best batswoman award with 87 runs, topscored for ECB Women’s Red team with 38 runs. ECB Women’s Red team beat not only the Under-13 boys but also the ECB Women’s Blue team on way to the final. Fourteen-year old Heena Hotchandani who had impressed as a fine left-arm spinner for UAE in the GCC tournament in Oman won the best bowler award.
“The encouraging aspect is players like Ozha is only 16 years old and with players like Heena and Siddhi, they all can be groomed to become good international players. We have also experienced players like Subha Venkataraman who had represented Tamil Nadu University,” said Ali.
“The success of this event has encouraged us to stage this tournament as an annual event. We will now invite teams from Dubai and Abu Dhabi next year,” said Mazhar Khan.
