The ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy will run from 20 to 30 November in Bangkok, marking a new chapter in the pathway for developing women’s cricket. The tournament features eight emerging nations and follows a straightforward single round-robin format, meaning every team plays each other once. At the end of the league stage, the side topping the points table will be declared the champion — no semifinals or finals. All matches will be split between two Bangkok venues: the Terdthai Cricket Ground and the Asian Institute of Technology Ground.
The participating teams represent a broad geographic and competitive spread: Thailand, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, UAE, Scotland, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Each arrives at the event with distinct strengths — some with strong regional pedigree, others with growing programs bolstered by recent development investments.
Thailand, as host, carries the dual responsibility of performance and promotion, having already established itself as one of the more competitive emerging women’s sides. The Netherlands come into the competition with a structured European development system behind them, while Papua New Guinea bring a reputation for raw talent and athleticism. The UAE, led by one of the most active women’s setups in the Associate world, continue to rise through consistent exposure in regional tournaments. Scotland and Namibia have both taken significant strides in high-performance planning over the past few years, steadily improving their depth and competitive edge. Tanzania and Uganda, two of Africa’s most rapidly improving women’s teams, round out the lineup with squads known for their energy, fielding, and aggressive playing style.
Across the ten-day event, the round-robin format ensures every match counts, leaving little room for recovery from slow starts. It also guarantees maximum exposure for all eight teams — a key goal of the ICC when designing this tournament. For emerging nations, continuity of fixtures remains the biggest barrier to progress, and a compact international tournament like this offers the kind of regular, high-quality cricket these teams rarely get.
The trophy also acts as a scouting ground for rising players who may become the next stars of Associate cricket. With increased attention on the women’s game worldwide, performances here could influence future franchise league interest, regional qualifiers, and national contracts for several players.
By bringing these nations together under a unified competitive structure, the event aims to accelerate growth, create visibility, and deepen the global talent pool in women’s cricket. It’s a direct investment into the future — and Bangkok becomes the testing ground where eight emerging sides will try to prove how quickly that future is arriving.
12BET Shortlisted for Sportsbook Operator of the Year at SBC Awards 2025