Esha Oza Confident UAE Ready to Bounce Back After Tough Women's Asia Cup Opener

Esha Oza has backed her young UAE side to recover from a difficult start to their Women’s Asia Cup campaign. Playing on home soil in Dubai, the national team looked overawed during their opening match against elite continental competition, suffering a nine-wicket defeat at Dubai International Stadium against Sri Lanka, a team they had previously pushed close during World Cup qualification.

Speaking ahead of the UAE’s second fixture against Indonesia on Friday, captain Esha Oza acknowledged that the team expected a better performance, but emphasized that the heavy loss offers valuable lessons for such a youthful squad. Analyzing the opening match, she noted the apparent struggle to score runs in the first innings at the venue and stressed the importance of adapting to pitch conditions rather than just going hard at the ball.

The UAE squad features several teenagers, including three 15-year-olds who helped the team secure qualification for this Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur and later earned a spot at the upcoming Under-19 T20 World Cup through another qualifying tournament in Malaysia. Esha Oza believes that competing against major teams like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan provides invaluable exposure for these young newcomers.

Praising their fearless attitude, Esha Oza highlighted that the youthful players have an opportunity to enjoy the experience without heavy expectations. With the majority of the U19 squad eligible for the next World Cup as well, she remains hopeful that these promising signs will foster long-term success and build a strong team culture for UAE women’s cricket.