'Asked match referee if I could retire my whole team out': UAE coach explains bizarre cricket tactic against Qatar

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 12, 2025, 09:07 IST

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In a bizarre turn at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, the UAE team strategically retired ten batters to expedite play due to approaching rain. This unusual move followed a dominant 192-run opening partnership, allowing UAE to secure a massive 163-run victory against Qatar and significantly improve their net run rate.

'Asked match referee if I could retire my whole team out': UAE coach explains bizarre cricket tactic against Qatar

UAE women's cricket team (Photo: X)

NEW DELHI: In a truly unique moment during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025 in Bangkok, the UAE women’s cricket team made headlines by retiring all ten of their batters in one of the strangest scorecards in T20 history.Playing against Qatar at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, UAE openers Esha Oza and Theertha Satish put on a stunning show, adding 192 runs for the first wicket in just 16 overs.

Operation Sindoor

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Oza smashed a sensational 113 off 55 balls, while Satish contributed a rapid 74 off 42. But what happened next stunned everyone. Every other UAE batter retired out at the start of the 17th over.

Ten players walked off without facing a single delivery. The reason? Rain was approaching.Coach Ahmed Raza explained that with the weather worsening, he approached the match officials. “I went to the umpires and checked whether we could declare but in white-ball cricket you can not declare,” he said. “I then asked the match referee if I could retire my whole team out.”

The strategy worked. UAE bowled out Qatar for just 29 runs in 11.1 overs, sealing a massive 163-run win and boosting their net run rate in the process.Despite the unusual method, Raza clarified that everything was within the rules and done with transparency. “By doing this I meant no disrespect to anyone involved, our opposition. Everything that happened was within the laws and was well communicated with the match referee,” he added.

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Should teams be allowed to retire batters for strategic reasons?

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While the 10 retire-outs stole the spotlight, the UAE’s dominating all-round performance — from Oza’s century to Michelle Botha’s 3/11 — showed their strong intent in the tournament.This win marked UAE’s second straight victory and put them in prime position to advance to the Super Three stage of the qualifiers. And despite the headlines, Raza reminded everyone: “This extraordinary series of events should not overshadow our captain's hundred and our opening stand of 192 and our bowlers doing the remaining job.”

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TOI Sports Desk

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