The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Women are currently the gold standard of the GCC Women’s T20 Championship. With a perfect record of four wins from four matches and a massive Net Run Rate, they look nearly invincible. Led by the prolific Esha Oza, the UAE side has dominated every facet of the game, most notably in their recent crushing win where they posted over 250 runs. They aren’t just winning; they are sending a message to the rest of the GCC that the crown belongs to them.
Bahrain Women find themselves in a challenging position as they prepare to face the league leaders. While they secured a convincing win over Saudi Arabia earlier in the week, they have struggled to maintain that momentum against the top-tier sides like Qatar and Kuwait. To stand a chance against UAE, Deepika Rasangika—who has been in stellar form with the bat—will need to play the innings of her life, while the bowling unit must find a way to contain the aggressive UAE openers.
Squads:
United Arab Emirates’ Women’s Cricket Team
Al Maseera, Rinitha Rajith, Udeni Chathurika, Esha Oza Lavanya Keny, Michelle Botha, Samaira Dharnidharka, Theertha Satish (wk), Athige Silva, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Siya Gokhale, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh
Bahrain Women’s Cricket Team
Ishara Madhuwanthi, Nipuni Nadeera, Reema Nazar, Sheetal Hate, Aqsa Tariq, Deepika Rasangika, Reshel Dsouza, Sweeta Corda, Ashwini Govinda, Sadamali Bhakshala (wk), Sana Butt (wk), Eman Shahzadi, Mishal Siraj, Rasika Rodrigo, Sudeshika Ranawaka, Swarna Nunna
Players to watch out:
Esha Oza
For UAE, Esha Oza has been her usual explosive self, piling up 129 runs in four innings at an average of 43 and a superb strike rate close to 180, with the highest of 64. With the ball she has added real value too, taking six wickets in ten overs at an economy of 2.30 and a strike rate of 10, including a match‑turning spell of 3 for 6 that broke Qatar’s chase.
Tharanga Gajanayake
Tharanga Gajanayake has played 4 matches, scoring 54 runs with the highest score of 24. Her average stands at 13.50, and she has faced 80 balls at a strike rate of 67.50. She has notched up 6 fours and no sixes so far in the GCC Women’s T20I Championship 2025 and is one of the key players for them in the tournament.
Michelle Botha
UAE all‑rounder Michelle Botha has led the bowling charts with six wickets in just 7.4 overs, returning best figures of 4 for 6 and conceding runs at barely two an over. Her average of 2.66 and strike rate of 7.66 underline how relentless she has been with the ball, often breaking the game open inside her first couple of overs.
Deepika Rasangika
For Bahrain, Deepika Rasangika’s bowling numbers mirror her all‑round influence: five wickets in six overs at an average of 10.20, maintaining the pressure through disciplined lines. She tends to come on when opposition batters are looking to kick on, and her knack for striking just then has repeatedly stalled momentum.
Pitch:
The pitch at Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1) is generally good for batting with true bounce but offers early assistance to pacers with some seam movement. Chasing teams have a better record here, so captains often prefer to bowl first. Scores in the 160–180 range in T20s and 250–280 in longer formats are competitive.
Weather:
Expect partly sunny conditions with hazy skies clearing somewhat. Highs around 27-30°C (81-86°F) during the day, cooling to 18-22°C at night. Warm overall with low precipitation risk. Visibility may be moderate due to haze.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Rinitha Rajith, Esha Oza, Michelle Botha, Theertha Satish, Heena Hotchandani, Vaishnave Mahesh, Deepika Rasangika, Sadamali Bhakshala, Mishal Siraj, Rasika Rodrigo, Sudeshika Ranawaka
Match Details:
Date – December 18, 2025
Time – 3:30 PM IST
Venue – Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1), Al Amerat
Broadcast – T.B.C.
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