Cricket fans witnessed a never-seen-before strategy in the Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifiers 2025 as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) women’s team faced off against Qatar in Bangkok. In a bold and unprecedented move, the UAE team voluntarily retired out all 10 batters after reaching a score of 192/0.
Openers Esha Rohit Oza and Theertha Satish were the stars with the bat, scoring 113 and 74 respectively in an unbroken opening stand. But just when fans expected more fireworks, the team made history by retiring out every batter—without losing a single wicket. The reason? A looming threat of rain that could have led to shared points if the match was abandoned.
By forcing a rapid conclusion to their innings, UAE ensured they had enough time to bowl out the opposition and secure full points. Their plan worked perfectly as Qatar collapsed for just 29 runs. Michelle Botha picked up three wickets, while Katie Thompson bagged two.
This is the first known instance in international cricket where an entire team retired out deliberately. UAE’s unusual but tactical decision created a buzz across the cricketing world.
“We knew rain could ruin everything, so we took a call for the team’s advantage. It was a calculated risk,” said UAE captain Esha Oza after the match.
Qatar’s batting never found rhythm, with Rizpha Emmanuel being the lone contributor with 20 runs.