By 
The Victoria Pearls of Uganda open their inaugural ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy campaign on Tuesday morning, facing a formidable Scotland side at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok.
The match starts at 9:45 AM local time (9:45 AM EAT)
Uganda and Scotland have met only twice in women’s T20Is, and Scotland have dominated both contests.
Their first encounter came during the 2018 ICC Women’s World T20 Qualifier in Netherlands, where Scotland dismantled Uganda for just 43 runs and eased to a nine-wicket victory.
Their second meeting, in April 2024 at the T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi, was even more one-sided.
Scotland posted a commanding 161/3, powered by unbeaten half-centuries from Saskia Horley (61*) and Alisa Lister (55*), before bowling Uganda out for 52 to seal a massive 109-run win, with Rachel Slater earning Player of the Match honours.
Both teams, however, arrive in Bangkok with valuable preparation behind them.
Uganda enters the tournament fresh off a dominant 5–0 home sweep against Canada—an encouraging sign of improving consistency and execution.
Scotland, meanwhile, flew to Thailand early and swept a quadrangular series featuring PNG, Thailand, and Namibia.
Their campaign included a 55-run win over PNG, a tight two-wicket victory against Thailand, and an eight-wicket triumph over Namibia, leaving them unbeaten.
Scotland’s readiness was further reinforced during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025.
They stunned West Indies by 11 runs, endured a rain-affected loss to Pakistan, defeated Thailand by 58 runs, and then produced one of the tournament’s most gripping matches against Ireland—falling by just one wicket despite a superb 131* from their captain, Kathryn Bryce.
Given this backdrop, Scotland enter Tuesday’s match as clear favorites.
They are the highest-ranked team in the tournament (11th), significantly ahead of Uganda (18th), and have already acclimatized to Thailand’s pitches and conditions through multiple matches.
Uganda, by contrast, arrived only a day before the opener and managed just a single training session today.
The Victoria Pearls during todays net session at Asian Institute ground
Still, the Victoria Pearls carry belief, form, and emerging depth.
Uganda will rely heavily on in-form batters Esther Iloku, Janet Mbabazi, and Rita Musamali, in addition to the leadership and experience of captain Consy Aweko.
Three members of Uganda’s previous starting XI against Scotland—Evelyn Anyipo, Sarah Walaza, and Phiona Kulume—are unavailable this time.
Uganda will field fresh combinations, offering new players a chance to step up on the global stage.
For both teams, this match is more than an opener; it is a test of progress, ambition, and the rapid growth of women’s cricket.
The Emerging Nations Trophy, an ICC innovation, brings together teams that rarely meet in regional play.
It features nations ranked 11th to 19th in the world (excluding Zimbabwe), matching African sides like Namibia, Uganda, and Tanzania against European contenders such as Scotland and the Netherlands.
Previously, these teams only met at Global T20 World Cup Qualifiers; this tournament now gives them more opportunities to compete, learn, and rise.
