Esha Oza dreaming big after record-breaking batting exploits for UAE

The teacher, students, and university graduate selected from UAE to play in the FairBreak Invitational next month might be forgiven for feeling a sense of trepidation when the great and good of women’s cricket start arriving in Dubai.

The national team have yet to play a game on the world stage. So the four players might be somewhat starry-eyed when the likes of Sophie Devine, Stafanie Taylor and Mignon du Preez are in their midst at the new T20 franchise competition.

And yet one of the local representatives at the event, to be staged at Dubai International Stadium from May 4, has one achievement to her name that none of the global stars can match.

When Esha Oza smashed 158 not out in a T20 international against Bahrain last month, it was the highest score ever in a limited-overs international by a UAE cricketer – male or female.

Only one player – who was, coincidentally, in the opposition that day – has managed more in a women’s T20I innings.

And the next player on the list of highest T20I scores by female players? Alyssa Healy, the celebrated Australian.

Not bad for a 23-year-old opener who is currently fully devoted to cricket, while looking for a full-time job after graduating with a business management degree from University of Wollongong Dubai.

“Before the last ball I got to know about the record because everyone was shouting from outside the field that I needed four runs to beat the record,” Oza said about her record-breaking innings in the GCC T20 in Muscat in March.

“Before that I had no idea and it had not been playing on my mind. On the last ball, I stepped out. It had been going for a wide but because I stepped out, I left the ball as I thought I would get the wide. It wasn’t given as a wide.

“I had the