The second edition of the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy will take place from 12 to 25 November, with the exciting tournament expanding from eight to 10 teams, including five ICC Full Member teams for the first time as part of the ICC’s continued investment in the global women’s cricket pathway.
Full Members – Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe – join Associate Member teams – the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Scotland, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Karwan Sports and Seven Districts grounds in Ajman in the UAE.
The teams will compete in two groups of five before progressing to a Super Six stage, followed by the Final. The format was approved following a recommendation from the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee and confirmation by the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee, as part of the ICC’s broader efforts to strengthen the women’s cricket pathway.
Group A: Ireland, PNG, Scotland, Sri Lanka and the UAE
Group B: Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Thailand and Zimbabwe
The expansion in the number of participating teams reflects the ICC’s commitment to strengthening opportunities for teams across the women’s game. The competition brings together five Full Members and five Associate Members, providing players with increased opportunities to compete against a wider range of international opposition.
ICC General Manager – Events and Cricket Operations, Gaurav Saxena said: “The expansion of the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy to 10 teams is an important step in providing more meaningful international competition for emerging teams and supporting the continued growth of women’s cricket.
“Bringing together five Full Members and five Associate Members will create valuable opportunities for players to test themselves against a wider range of opposition and gain experience in a high-performance environment. We look forward to welcoming the participating teams to Ajman for the second edition of the tournament.”
The tournament builds on the inaugural edition in 2025, when Thailand claimed the title on home soil after finishing level on points with Scotland, the Netherlands and the UAE, with net run rate determining the final standings.
The inaugural competition also delivered notable individual performances, with several players making gains in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings following the tournament. These performances proved the value of providing emerging teams with regular opportunities to compete at a high international level.
ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026 schedule
| Date | Time | Karwan Sports Club Cricket Ground, Ajman | Seven Districts Sports Club, Ajman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, 12 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | Sri Lanka vs Ireland | PNG vs Scotland |
| Thursday, 12 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | Netherlands vs Thailand |
| Friday, 13 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | Scotland vs Sri Lanka | UAE vs Ireland |
| Friday, 13 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | Thailand vs Pakistan | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh |
| Saturday, 14 November 2026 | — | Rest Day | Rest Day |
| Sunday, 15 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | Thailand vs Zimbabwe | Pakistan vs Netherlands |
| Sunday, 15 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | Scotland vs UAE | Sri Lanka vs PNG |
| Monday, 16 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | Bangladesh vs Netherlands | Zimbabwe vs Pakistan |
| Monday, 16 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | Ireland vs PNG | UAE vs Sri Lanka |
| Tuesday, 17 November 2026 | — | Rest Day | Rest Day |
| Wednesday, 18 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | PNG vs UAE | Ireland vs Scotland |
| Wednesday, 18 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | Netherlands vs Zimbabwe | Bangladesh vs Thailand |
| Thursday, 19 November 2026 | — | Rest Day | Rest Day |
| Friday, 20 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | QA2 vs QB2 | QA1 vs QB3 |
| Friday, 20 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | QB1 vs QA3 | — |
| Saturday, 21 November 2026 | — | Rest Day | Rest Day |
| Sunday, 22 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | QB2 vs QA1 | QB1 vs QA2 |
| Sunday, 22 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | — | QA3 vs QB3 |
| Monday, 23 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | QA1 vs QB1 | — |
| Monday, 23 November 2026 | 1:15 PM | QB3 vs QA2 | QA3 vs QB2 |
| Tuesday, 24 November 2026 | — | Rest Day | Rest Day |
| Wednesday, 25 November 2026 | 9:00 AM | Final | — |
