A strange incident in the cricket History happened yesterday in the match played between the UAE and the Qatar women team.
A strange incident in the history of cricket: In the UAE vs. Qatar women’s cricket match on May 10, 2025, during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier in Bangkok, an unprecedented event occurred.
The UAE women’s team, batting first, scored 192/0 in 16 overs, led by Esha Oza (113 off 55 balls) and Theertha Satish (74 off 42 balls). With rain threatening, UAE wanted to end their innings early to ensure a result, as declarations are not allowed in T20 cricket.
They checked with match officials and strategically retired out all ten batters, with eight of them not facing a single ball.
This was the first time in international cricket (men’s or women’s) that a team retired out more than two batters in an innings.
UAE then bowled out Qatar for 29 runs in 11.1 overs, securing a 163-run victory. The match set a record for 15 ducks (eight from UAE, seven from Qatar), the most in a women’s T20I.
Why did this happen?
The UAE women’s team strategically retired out all ten batters, eight without facing a ball, in their T20I match against Qatar on May 10, 2025, to end their innings early at 192/0 after 16 overs.
This was due to impending rain, which could have led to a no-result if the match was abandoned. In T20 cricket, declarations are not allowed, so retiring out was the only way to close the innings and ensure a result.
UAE wanted to maximize their net run rate in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier, and with Qatar’s batting being weak (they were later bowled out for 29), UAE’s tactics secured a 163-run victory, boosting their tournament standing.
This was a calculated move, approved by match officials, to exploit T20 rules under the weather threat.
Is it possible again?
It is possible for a similar situation to occur again in a T20 cricket match, but it would require specific circumstances and strategic intent. Retiring out an entire batting lineup, as UAE did against Qatar on May 10, 2025, is allowed under T20 rules, as teams can retire batters at their discretion with the consent of match officials.
This tactic could be used again if a team, facing a weaker opponent, wants to end their innings early—perhaps to secure a result before weather interruptions or to maximize net run rate in a tournament. However, it’s rare due to the need for a dominant batting performance, a significant lead, and external factors like rain.
Since it’s within the laws of cricket, nothing prevents it from happening again, though it may draw scrutiny for being against the “spirit of the game” in some contexts.
When can this happen?
A situation like the UAE women’s team retiring out their entire batting lineup, as seen in the May 10, 2025, match against Qatar,
could happen again under these conditions:
● Tournament Context: In a T20 tournament where net run rate is crucial (e.g., ICC qualifiers or leagues), a team may want to maximize their victory margin by ending their innings early to bowl out a weaker opponent quickly.
● Weather Threat: If rain or other interruptions are likely, a team might retire batters to close their innings and ensure a result, as T20 matches require a minimum number of overs (usually 5 per side) for a valid result.
● Dominant Position: The batting team must be in a commanding position (e.g., a high score like UAE’s 192/0 in 16 overs) with confidence they can defend it against a weaker opponent.
● Weak Opposition: The strategy works best against a team unlikely to chase a large total, making the early closure of innings low-risk (e.g., Qatar was bowled out for 29).
● Rule Compliance: The team must coordinate with match officials, as retiring out batters is legal but requires umpire approval. T20 rules don’t allow declarations, so retiring out is the mechanism.
This could occur in any T20 match—international, domestic, or franchise—where these factors align, particularly in qualifiers or group stages with tight net run rate calculations. It’s more likely in women’s or associate-level cricket, where skill gaps between teams can be larger, but it’s not impossible in men’s or elite-level games if the situation demands it.
The rarity stems from needing all these conditions simultaneously, but there’s no regulatory barrier to it happening again.