The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced 30 ICC Development Awards 2025 regional winners across six categories that will compete for the Global Awards in July, with a further six shortlisted for the ICC criiio Cricket Festivals.
The Emirates Cricket Board have been declared regional winners in four of the ICC Development Awards – 2025. The awards include ICC Development Initiative of the Year, ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year, ICC Associate Member Men’s Team Performance of the Year and the ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year.
ECB has also earned a place in the shortlist for the award for the most outstanding ICC criiio Cricket Festival delivered in 2025.
As per the ICC media release, established in 2002, the ICC Development Awards both recognise and celebrate the hard work undertaken by ICC Members in emerging nations to grow the global game.
The Regional Winners will now be put forward as contenders to claim the Global Awards, determined by a specialist and independent panel of voters consisting of two-time ICC Men’s T20 World Cup-winner Samuel Badree, ex-Ireland international Kevin O’Brien and former Zimbabwe international Mary-Anne Musonda.
The rest of the 12-strong panel includes representatives from ICC partners, ICC Full Members, and the media, with the Global Winners set to be revealed on ICC channels in July.
“We are delighted to earn recognition through these prestigious awards. The awards are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our women and men’s players, support staff and officials,” said Subhan Ahmad, Chief Operating Officer of the ECB.
“These awards announced by cricket’s governing body [ICC] will motivate us further in our endeavours for the growth of the game across the UAE. In recent years, we have succeeded in expanding the player pool for both women and men’s teams enabled through our hugely successful age-group programmes for both boys and girls all around the country.”
Last year, men’s and women’s national teams produced outstanding results.
While the men’s team won a T20I series against Bangladesh at home, the women’s side recorded a memorable ODI series win over Zimbabwe.
“Our development initiatives are now delivering results for us as our teams continue to compete with stronger and more established teams resulting in our historic success against Bangladesh in last year’s men’s T20I series and the women’s teams outstanding performance in their maiden ODI series against Zimbabwe,” said Ahmad.
Source: Khaleej Times