UAE Women vs Qatar Women: All 10 Batters 'Retire Out' in One Innings – What Happened?

In a historic moment for women’s cricket, the UAE Women’s team shocked everyone with a bold and rare move. UAE retired out all their batters in a group-stage match of the Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025 against Qatar Women at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok on Saturday, May 10. This tactic caught the attention of cricket fans worldwide.

It was an unusual decision in a T20 game, but it worked well for the UAE. The Women’s T20 WC Asia Qualifier 2025 features nine teams, divided into three groups. Each group has three teams. UAE Women were in Group B, along with Malaysia and Qatar. The UAE had already beaten Malaysia in their first match. To qualify for the Super 3 stage, they had to win against Qatar. With rain expected in Bangkok, the UAE team management came up with a bold plan.

UAE-W vs QAT-W: UAE Pull Off Stunning Win

UAE Women vs Qatar Women was the sixth match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier. UAE Women batted first and delivered a powerful performance. Openers Esha Rohit Oza and Theertha Satish dominated the game. They scored runs quickly and did not lose a single wicket.
Esha Oza smashed an unbeaten 113 runs in just 55 balls. Her innings included several boundaries and sixes.

On the other hand, Theertha Satish supported her with a brilliant 74 off 42 balls, leaving Qatar’s bowlers without answers as they could not take even one wicket. UAE reached 192 runs in only 16 overs. But instead of continuing their innings, they made a shocking decision. The UAE decided to retire out all of their 10 batters, a move that surprised everyone.

Although the T20 format doesn’t allow official declarations, retiring out is a legal way to stop the innings. UAE used this tactic to end their innings early because of the rain threat in Bangkok and to give their bowlers enough time to dismiss the opposition. It was a stunning yet unique move in the UAE-W vs QAT-W game that raised a few eyebrows following the game.

UAE-W vs QAT-W: Bowlers Shine for UAE

After the ‘retire out’ plan, UAE bowlers came out with full energy in the second innings. They bowled out Qatar Women for just 29 runs, making it a one-sided game. Michelle Botha led the bowling attack with 3 wickets. Katie Thompson took 2 wickets. The rest of the bowlers supported well and did not allow Qatar to settle.

For Qatar, only Captain Rizpha Bano Emmanuel showed some resistance. She scored 20 runs off 29 balls. No other batter crossed even 6 runs. Seven of their players were dismissed for ducks. This 163-run win was a massive boost for the UAE’s Net Run Rate (NRR). Their NRR jumped to 6.998, the highest in the group.

UAE Women Top the Group

After two back-to-back wins, UAE Women now sit at the top of Group B. They have 4 points from two matches. Malaysia are in the second place, while Qatar are at the bottom with no wins. This strong performance means UAE have qualified for the Super 3 stage. They will now play against the top teams from the other two groups. The top two teams from that round will earn spots in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England.

Notably, the decision to retire out all batters is rare in any format, especially in T20s. But the UAE showed that smart tactics can change the game. They made a strong statement with their performance and strategy. As a result, the UAE-W vs QAT-W match went in UAE's favor. With the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 just around the corner, UAE Women have shown they are serious contenders. Their confidence, skills, and clever planning have made them a team to watch out for.