'One dream' multiplies for UAE as attention switches to Asia Cup qualifying

The rise and rise of the UAE women’s cricket team has been fuelled by a simple motto: “One team, one dream.”

The players repeat the mantra in their team huddles before they go out to field. They say it when they are together toasting wickets.

They sometimes even shout it across the field to each other when they are switching positions between overs.

And yet, so successful have they been over the past year, they might have to revise the wording. After all, they are chasing dreams on a number of fronts these days.

UAE fixturesFriday, June 17 v OmanSaturday, June 18 v SingaporeMonday, June 20 v MalaysiaWednesday, June 22 v QatarFriday, June 24, semi-finalSaturday, June 25, finalUAE squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Esha Oza, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kavisha Kumari, Khushi Sharma, Lavanya Keny, Priyanjali Jain, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Sanchin Singh, Siya Gokhale, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish, Vaishnave Mahesh

Last week, the country’s leading age-group players completed qualification for the first Women’s T20 Under 19 World Cup with a dominant display in Malaysia.

Many of that successful squad have stayed on in Kuala Lumpur to try to do the same for the first Asia Cup for women, which is due to take place later this year.

If the national team are successful in the ACC T20 Women’s Championship, which starts when they play Oman on Friday, they could set a world record.

The UAE have won 14 matches in a row in T20 internationals. The record, currently held by Thailand, is 17 wins in succession.

And in addition to all of that, they will play in the Women’s T20 World Cup global qualifier on home soil in September.

“We are going by one thing at a time,” Chaya Mughal, the captain, said.

“At the moment, this is the Asia Cup