The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the full schedule for the first ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy T20I. The tournament will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 20 to 30. This new event marks a major step in the ICC’s long-term plan to expand women’s cricket and give more exposure to emerging cricket nations.
ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy: Full Schedule
November 20:
Thailand v Netherlands, Papua New Guinea v UAE, Scotland v Uganda, Namibia v Tanzania
November 21:
Thailand v Papua New Guinea, Netherlands v UAE, Uganda v Namibia, Scotland v Tanzania
November 23:
Uganda v Papua New Guinea, Tanzania v Netherlands, UAE v Scotland, Thailand v Namibia
November 25:
Thailand v Tanzania, UAE v Uganda, Papua New Guinea v Netherlands, Namibia v Scotland
November 26:
Tanzania v UAE, Thailand v Uganda, Netherlands v Namibia, Papua New Guinea v Scotland
November 28:
Thailand v UAE, Uganda v Tanzania, Scotland v Netherlands, Namibia v Papua New Guinea
November 30:
Netherlands v Uganda, UAE v Namibia, Tanzania v Papua New Guinea, Thailand v Scotland
Major Boost for Women’s Cricket Growth
The tournament will feature eight top Associate Member teams. Five of them hold ODI status, while three others are among the highest-ranked sides in the ICC Women’s T20I standings as of May 1, 2025. The participating teams are Thailand, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, the UAE, Scotland, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda.
All matches will be played at two venues in Bangkok — the Terdthai Cricket Ground and the Asian Institute of Technology. Each team will face the others once in a round-robin league. The top two teams will meet in the final on November 30.
Host Thailand enters the competition as the highest-ranked team at No. 11 in the world. They also arrive with a nine-match winning streak. But the side will face a range of bowling styles and match conditions that will test their batting depth.
ICC Highlights Global Push for Women’s Cricket
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta said the new tournament supports the ICC’s mission to grow the women’s game globally. He said the aim is to give more Associate teams consistent, high-quality playing time. According to Gupta, “expanding cricket’s reach and elevating the women’s game remain central goals.” He added that more top-level competition helps young players improve, strengthens global standards, and encourages more girls and women to take up cricket.
Why This Tournament Matters?
This competition also creates a wider talent pathway for future ICC events. Many Associate teams lack regular international cricket. The new trophy gives these teams a chance to play competitive matches, test new players, and prepare for higher-level qualifiers.
For nations like Uganda, Namibia, and Tanzania, the event offers a rare stage to play multiple matches in a short period. It also helps emerging cricket markets show their progress and attract investment at home. Thailand, meanwhile, has already built a strong women’s cricket structure. Their performance will show if they can continue to challenge higher-ranked sides in global tournaments.
