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ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2024 KICKS OFF IN STYLE WITH CAPTAINS’ DAY

Published

2 years ago

October 3, 2024

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The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 officially kicked off in style today with the Captains’ Day at the Dubai International Stadium, bringing together all 10 team captains on the eve of the ninth edition of the tournament.

This year, the ICC took a unique approach to the captains’ photo by inviting each captain to individually showcase their excitement for the tournament set against the striking backdrop of the Dubai Frame, a symbol of the UAE’s landscape. The setting, which blends the Emirate’s iconic modern architecture with its desert heritage, reflects the cultural diversity of this edition’s World Cup.
A special panel session featuring all 10 captains took place during the Captains’ Day, hosted by Melanie Jones, which showed fans a glimpse into the life, strategies and aspirations of the captains.
Australia Captain Alyssa Healy: “There are 10 teams sitting on the stage here today that deserve to be here and have a real shot of winning this World Cup. You don’t come here to defend a title, that’s not what a World Cup is about, you come here to win it, so we’re here with that approach and I’m excited to get underway.
“Our pool is quite a tricky one. We’ve got to get past a lot of these teams to be able to lift the trophy and it’s a challenge we’re excited for.”
West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews: “You play all year long preparing and this is obviously the pinnacle of where you want to be as a team and where you want to be competing.

“Every series you play, every training session you have is towards that goal of a World Cup, so [preparation] definitely is a long process, and I think one as a West Indies team we’ve had in our sights for a very long time. So yeah, just hoping for some success.”
Bangladesh Captain Nigar Sultana: “Yeah, [shifting the event from Bangladesh] was pretty disappointing initially. But the thing is we’re very professional. Now we are here and we are going to play this and we are pretty fortunate that we will do something that is going to help all the fans and the families and friends to get cheered.

“I’m expecting a lot of spectators, because in Sharjah there are a lot of Bangladeshis there. And playing in this kind of event, I think more people will come watch us and support.”
Scotland Captain Kathryn Bryce: “Yeah, I think we just really want to compete in this competition. We’ve played some fantastic cricket in the qualifiers and leading up to it, so I think, we just want to go out there and do ourselves justice on that stage and put in some good performances against these teams.”

India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “I think that is something we keep learning every day. Because when you win, sometimes you feel, OK, that is something I have achieved. But at the same time, next day when you go, you may make small mistakes. And I think that is part of the game. And I think learning is something which is never going to stop, every day is a learning day. Every day I’m going and learning and getting experience from every game. Yeah, I think people around me, they are helping me, they are working hard to make our team go at that level where we want to be. I am happy with where our team is, like how our team is working hard to achieve small, small things.”

England Captain Heather Knight: “I think captaincy is always a constant challenge. I don’t think you need that freshness as a captain. You’ve always been challenged in different ways and trying to learn little tricks and trying to grow in everything you do. But I think as you’re there more, you learn to get your messages across in slightly different ways using the people around you. I’ve got through a few coaches as well, so that kind of helps freshen things up. And obviously, the team’s constantly evolving, which is a place where you’re obviously keeping things fresh and finding different ways to say things.”

Pakistan captain, Fatima Sana: “I will try to enjoy myself, express myself and back myself as well (as captain). Actually, our whole management is supporting me, and they told me that you just take a brave decision on the field, so just try to do this, be calm and just do whatever you want.”

New Zealand Captain Sophie Devine: “I think that’s been the great thing about the women’s game is the development and it’s what’s happened off the field I think that’s helped achieve that. In terms of the quick bowlers you’ve seen the girls become more professional and what they’ve been able to do in the gym is starting to see bowlers hitting 120kms and more which it makes for a challenge. It’s always exciting to be coming up against that but I think it just shows the development of the women’s game that those sorts of skills continue to improve.
“We’ve got a number of young fast bowlers coming through. And again, their development has been massive the last 12 – 18 months so certainly looking forward to seeing what sort of bowlers they can turn into.”
South Africa Captain Laura Wolvaardt: “I think obviously last year was great, but we’re just looking to take it one game at a time. Obviously a very difficult pool, but hopefully we can make semi-finals and then anything can happen from that.

“It’s obviously a bit different now. I think most players who have played in the team have never played under anyone besides Hilton (Mooreng). But Dillon (du Preez), who’s taken over, has been with us for four or five years. So, he still knowshow things were and where we’re headed. And we’ve actually got a batting coach and a fielding coach now this season for the first time officially as well, so everything just feels really well organized at the moment. It’s been great just getting a lot of information from a lot of different coaches, even just to have the extra hands at training and to have specific groups doing specific things has been awesome. We’re looking forward to this tournament.”

ri Lanka captain, Chamari Athapaththu: “We are coming with underdog tag all the time. So, we don’t have any pressure. I don’t want to take too much pressure on my shoulders and my teammates’ shoulders. But we keep it simple. I have a very young team, so we have a few seniors as well. I hope we can continue our best performance, because we’ve been playing really good cricket the last 16 months. This is a different format and different conditions, so we have to start again, fresh days. So, keep it simple, one ball one time, one game one time.”
The World Cup which will see 23 matches held over 18 days in the two host cities of Dubai and Sharjah, promises to entertain and inspire a new generation of cricket fans while serving as a transformative platform for women’s cricket.

The opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will take place in Sharjah, with hosts Bangladesh, facing Scotland at 14h00, followed by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Related Topics:#icc #iccworldcup #iccworldcupcricket

Sudhashree Dash

With 20 years of experience across print, TV, and digital journalism, Sudhashree is a seasoned media professional with a keen eye for news. A true news bug, she thrives on curating stories that capture the pulse of fashion, film, and all things trending. Deeply immersed in the fast-evolving media landscape, she swears by the power of social media to shape narratives and spark conversations.

News

Visiting Dubai’s City Walk? Here’s What you need to know about the new ticketless parking

Published

20 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Michael Gomes

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If you’ve ever fumbled for a parking ticket while leaving City Walk or queued at a payment machine, those days are over.

Dubai’s popular lifestyle destination has rolled out a barrierless, ticketless parking system, allowing motorists to drive in and out without collecting a ticket or stopping to pay before exiting.

The new system, introduced by Parkin, uses automatic number plate recognition technology to record when vehicles enter and leave the parking facility, making the entire process faster and more convenient.

How the new parking system works

Instead of paper tickets and exit barriers, cameras identify your vehicle when you enter and exit City Walk.

Parking fees are calculated automatically based on the length of your stay.

If you have a Parkin account, the fee is deducted automatically. Visitors without an account, or those with insufficient balance, will receive a payment link to complete the transaction digitally.

The move is part of Dubai’s wider shift towards smart mobility and cashless services.

Parking charges at City Walk

Visitors can still enjoy one hour of free parking at City Walk.

After the complimentary period, parking is charged at:

Dh5 per hour, or part of an hour.

For visitors heading to The Boulevard, a different tariff applies.

The first 30 minutes are free, after which parking costs Dh20 per hour. According to City Walk, these charges are automatically deducted through the visitor’s Salik account.

How to get free parking

Visitors spending Dh50 or more at participating outlets can receive up to three hours of complimentary parking.

To claim the benefit, shoppers and diners must validate their parking at the participating retailer before leaving.

Parking validation is also available for eligible visitors at attractions including Roxy Cinemas, The Green Planet and selected participating outlets.

Part of a growing smart parking network

City Walk is the latest destination to embrace ticketless parking as Dubai continues expanding digital payment solutions across the city.

Earlier, Parkin announced a five-year agreement with Al Ghurair Centre to introduce a similar smart parking system.

Under that arrangement, visitors receive three hours of complimentary parking before charges apply from Monday to Saturday, while parking remains free on Sundays and public holidays.

With barrierless parking now becoming more common across Dubai, motorists can expect quicker entry and exit, fewer queues and a smoother parking experience, without the hassle of paper tickets.

Crime

Why the UAE does not allow emergency lights on private cars

Published

21 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Emergency warning lights and sirens are reserved for authorised vehicles such as ambulances, police patrols and civil defence units in the UAE.

While some motorists may see flashing lights as a way to move through traffic faster, using or installing them on a private vehicle without permission is a criminal offence that can lead to prison, hefty fines and the confiscation of the vehicle.

An Abu Dhabi court sentenced two men to six months in prison after one illegally used emergency warning lights on a private vehicle and the other supplied and installed the equipment without authorisation.

Here’s why the UAE takes the issue so seriously.

Emergency lights are only for authorised vehicles

Emergency warning systems are designed to help first responders reach incidents as quickly and safely as possible.

These include vehicles operated by:

Police
Ambulance services
Civil Defence
Other government emergency agencies

When road users see flashing lights or hear a siren, they are expected to give way immediately. If private vehicles were allowed to use the same equipment, it would undermine the credibility of genuine emergency responders.

Public safety can be endangered

Unauthorised use of emergency lights can create confusion on the roads.

Drivers may:

Move aside unnecessarily.
Brake suddenly.
Change lanes unexpectedly.
Mistake a private vehicle for an official emergency service.

This increases the risk of collisions and can disrupt the normal flow of traffic.

They can delay genuine emergency services

If motorists become unsure whether flashing lights belong to an authorised emergency vehicle, they may hesitate before giving way.

Even a few seconds of delay can make a difference when ambulances, police officers or firefighters are responding to life-threatening situations.

Selling or installing the equipment is also illegal

The law does not only apply to drivers.

Businesses and individuals who sell, supply or install emergency warning lights or sirens without the required approvals can also face criminal penalties.

Authorities have warned companies that they may be prosecuted if they provide such equipment for unauthorised use.

What are the penalties?

The penalties can be severe.

In a recent Abu Dhabi court case:

A driver was sentenced to six months in prison after using a private vehicle fitted with emergency warning lights.
The vehicle and emergency equipment were confiscated.
A company manager who supplied and installed the equipment was also sentenced to six months in prison, fined Dh100,000, and had related equipment confiscated.

The case followed an investigation by authorities after smart surveillance systems detected a vehicle using emergency lights without authorisation.

How violations are detected

The UAE uses advanced surveillance technology and traffic monitoring systems to identify vehicles using unauthorised emergency equipment.

If a violation is detected, authorities can trace the vehicle, investigate how the equipment was obtained and take legal action against both the driver and those involved in supplying or installing the systems.

The ban on emergency lights is designed to protect public safety and preserve the integrity of emergency services. By restricting their use to authorised vehicles, the UAE ensures that motorists respond immediately to genuine emergencies and that first responders can carry out their duties without unnecessary delays or confusion.

For motorists, the message is clear: installing or using emergency warning lights on a private vehicle without official approval is not only illegal, it can also carry serious legal and financial consequences.

News

UAE wins three ICC Development Awards for women’s cricket and grassroots growth

Published

22 hours ago

July 14, 2026

Michael Gomes

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The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) celebrated a landmark achievement after winning three honours at the ICC Development Awards 2025, recognising its outstanding contribution to grassroots cricket and the growth of the women’s game in the UAE.

The awards were presented during the International Cricket Council (ICC) Annual Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, where cricket boards from around the world were recognised for programmes that have helped expand participation and develop the sport.

Initiative of the Year

The ECB’s first award came in the Marriott Bonvoy ICC Development Initiative of the Year category for its pioneering Girls U15 Academy League. The programme, the first of its kind in the region, was recognised for creating new opportunities for young girls to participate in competitive cricket while promoting inclusion and wider access to the sport.

The board also shared the ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year award with Türkiye Cricket. The honour recognised the UAE’s efforts to expand girls’ cricket through the Get into Cricket – Girls Only programme and the Interschool Criiio Gulf Cup, initiatives launched following the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 to introduce cricket to schools and communities across the country.

Victory for UAE women’s national team

Completing a memorable evening, the ECB received the ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year award after the UAE women’s national team made history during its tour of Zimbabwe.

Competing in their first-ever 50-over series after gaining ODI status, the UAE secured a 2-2 draw in the One-Day International series before defeating Zimbabwe 2-0 in the subsequent T20 International series. The result marked the UAE’s maiden bilateral series victory over a higher-ranked Full Member nation on foreign soil.

ECB Board Member Zayed Abbas described the awards as a significant milestone for everyone involved in UAE cricket.

“These awards are a massive encouragement for the Emirates Cricket Board management, officials, players and support staff,” Abbas said.

He thanked the ICC for recognising the work of Associate Members and said the honours had strengthened the board’s determination to invest further in cricket development.

Abbas also praised the rapid rise of women’s cricket in the UAE, saying growing media attention and increased participation at grassroots level were creating a strong foundation for the future.

“Thousands of girls are now playing cricket, which means that we have a solid foundation to work on for the years ahead,” he said.

Bright future for women’s team

Looking ahead, Abbas said the Emirates Cricket Board remains committed to providing the national women’s team with greater exposure against leading international sides as preparations continue for the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 and qualification campaigns for future ICC Women’s T20 and ODI World Cups.

The ICC Development Awards recognise outstanding programmes and achievements that contribute to the growth of cricket globally, with winners selected from regional nominees across multiple development categories.