For a country that struggled to put together 11 players to build a team until 15 years ago, the UAE have now earned the official ODI status from the International Cricket Council.

The announcement has put a spring in Esha Oza's step as the UAE captain leads the team at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier campaign, which begins in Thailand on May 9.

The ODI status was awarded to the UAE for the 2025-2029 cycle for their consistent performances in T20 cricket.

“The Emirates Cricket Board is delighted with the incredible progress of our women’s team. Their rise to ODI status is a monumental achievement and speaks volumes about the team’s determination, skills, talent and commitment,” said Khalid Al Zarooni, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board.

An associate member of the ICC, the UAE came tantalizingly close to qualifying for the 2024 T20 World Cup before going down to Sri Lanka, a hugely experienced team, by the narrowest of margins in a decisive qualifying game in May last year.

With two wickets and 66 runs, skipper Oza was brilliant that day, but her all-round heroics failed to drag the team over the line.

The make-or-break qualifying game may have ended in heartbreak for Oza last year, but the skipper is jubilant now with the ICC awarding the ODI status to the UAE for being the next highest-ranked associate member team.

UAE captain Esha Oza 

“It’s a great achievement. Over the years, that’s something we have always looked to do, to play 50 overs cricket, and we have finally got there. It has taken years and years of hard work, so we are really happy now,” Oza said.

Oza’s predecessor, Chaya Mughal, captained the UAE team until September 2023 before retiring from the game.

A former Indian domestic cricketer who arrived in the UAE to work as a school teacher in 2010, Mughal remarkably became a vital cog for her adopted country which began to climb up the ladder in women’s cricket.

Mughal says the ODI status for the UAE is one of the greatest moments in her life as a cricketer.

“When I heard the news, I was so overwhelmed with emotions, I just couldn't stop smiling. Honestly, you know, tears rolled down my face. It felt like a dream — a dream that we've been chasing for so many years now, and it's so real,” she told the Khaleej Times.

Mughal then recalled the day when the UAE were bowled out for a humiliating score of nine on their international debut.

“I still remember 2007 (when the UAE played their first international game against Bangladesh). At that time, I was not there, but I know the stories because I've been hearing them from the people who played back then. The UAE got all out on nine runs! Everybody was shocked, so it’s amazing how far women’s cricket has come in this country,” she said.  

Former UAE captain Chaya Mughal 

But this is something that hasn’t happened overnight.

“I think the progress was slow, but we never gave up. And even though we didn't win all the matches, every match that we lost taught us something, training in the heat, every tour, every setback, I think that was all a part of this journey,” she said.

“Then we had the first wins, the first time we beat the stronger teams. I remember beating Zimbabwe, it was like a game changer for us.”

Now in her role as the Women’s Development Officer at the Emirates Cricket Board, Mughal is working on a grassroots programme which aims to draw more and more UAE girls to the cricket ground.

“There are around six centres which are currently running and giving free training sessions, accessible to all girls across the UAE with no cost. We don't charge anything,” she said.

“We go to a lot of schools and colleges and universities, we give them this programme called ‘Let’s get into cricket’. We offer free training sessions to anyone who wants to join cricket. We have around 800 girls who are currently training with us.”

The former all-rounder is bullish about the UAE’s chances of qualifying for the T20 World Cup.

“I always dream of UAE team qualifying for the World Cup and I think that's one of the dreams which is soon going to be possible,” she said.

“And as far as the ODI is concerned, it's definitely a new format for us. We are going to play against other associate teams and if we do well, maybe we can even get into the ODI World Cup qualifiers.

“But I don’t want to look too far ahead, let’s take one step at a time. Our girls did amazingly in the first 50 overs domestic tournament this year.

“They showed the temperament and the fitness to survive the longer format. So I think the future is very bright for these girls.”