Zimbabwe Cricket has announced that its national women’s cricket team will host the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Women’s team for an important white-ball series in Bulawayo starting September 26. The two teams will compete in a series consisting of four One-Day Internationals (ODIs) followed by two Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
The head-to-head record in T20Is between the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe shows that they have played a total of 6 matches. Out of these, the UAE has won 3 matches while Zimbabwe has won the remaining 3. This indicates a balanced competition between the two teams in T20 cricket, with both sides having enjoyed successes across different series and tournaments.
The upcoming ODI series between the two teams will be their first-ever bilateral ODI series. Based on their competitive T20 records, closely fought contests are expected in this historic series.
United Arab Emirates Women tour of Zimbabwe 2025, Schedule:
A warm-up game will kick off proceedings for the United Arab Emirates, scheduled for Wednesday, 24 September, against Zimbabwe ‘A’ Women at Bulawayo Athletic Club.
1st ODI: Friday, 26 September
2nd ODI: Sunday, 28 September
3rd ODI: Tuesday, 30 September
4th ODI: Thursday, 2 October
The games have a start time of 0915 hours (local time)
1st T20I: Sunday, 5 October
2nd T20I: Monday, 6 October
The games have a start time of 1330 hours (local time)
All games will be played at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
This series is an integral part of Zimbabwe Women’s ongoing development after their recent success at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Namibia, where they secured victory and earned their place in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier set for early 2026 in Nepal. That upcoming tournament is the crucial final step in the qualification process for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Beyond this, the series against UAE also serves as preparation for Zimbabwe’s historic debut in the ICC Women’s Championship. Zimbabwe was included in the expanded Championship for the first time after it grew from 10 to 11 teams in November 2024. The Championship, in its fourth edition, is the main qualification pathway for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2029. Zimbabwe Women will face strong competition on debut, facing New Zealand in February-March 2026.
Zimbabwe Women’s Head Coach Walter Chawaguta underlined the importance of the UAE tour in their preparations. “The UAE series is very important to us, and it fits perfectly in our plans as we prepare for the Global Qualifier early next year,” he said.
“It gives us the momentum that we need as a team and, at the same time, it also gives us an opportunity to look at some of the players who have been out due to injury and are now making a comeback. The timing is also good because it allows us enough space after the series to regroup and address any issues that may have come up.
“UAE are a good side, with strong batters and bowlers, and they will challenge us as we get ready for the Qualifier.”
With the series in Bulawayo shaping up as a significant steppingstone toward their upcoming international challenges, Zimbabwe Women are ready to build on their recent achievements and continue growing and learning as a competitive force in global women’s cricket.
(Quotes sourced from Zimbabwe Cricket media release)
