​The Emirates Cricket Board emerged as the top winner at the ICC Development Awards 2025, securing three global honours for its efforts to grow the sport, while cricket bodies from Türkiye, Italy, Japan, Brazil and Nigeria also received awards. The International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the global winners at its Annual Conference after selecting them from the regional awardees announced in June. The awards recognize programmes, initiatives, and performances by ICC Associate Members across seven categories.
The Emirates Cricket Board claimed the Marriott Bonvoy ICC Development Initiative of the Year award for its Girls U15 Academy League. The ICC noted that the league was the first of its kind in the region and created opportunities for young girls to play competitive cricket, marking a significant step in expanding female participation at the grassroots level.
In addition, the Emirates Cricket Board shared the ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year award with Türkiye Cricket for the second consecutive year. Within the United Arab Emirates, this accolade highlighted the Interschool Cricket Gulf Cup and the Emirates Cricket Board’s Get into Cricket – Girls Only programme, both launched in the wake of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The initiatives pushed girls’ cricket into schools and communities across different emirates, broadening access and encouraging participation from a wider demographic.
Türkiye Cricket received recognition for organizing the largest ICC Women’s Cricket Week celebration in Europe in 2025. The event engaged more than 3,000 girls from 20 provinces through softball festivals, ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup watch parties, and coaching webinars designed for female coaches, illustrating Türkiye’s commitment to female empowerment and the development of women’s cricket in the region.
Completing the Emirates Cricket Board’s triple triumph, the UAE women’s team was honoured with the ICC Associate Member Women’s Team Performance of the Year award. The team drew 2-2 in an ODI series against Zimbabwe in their first 50-over series after achieving ODI status and then secured a 2-0 victory in the subsequent T20I series, marking their first series win over a higher-ranked Full Member nation away from home. This achievement underscored the rapid progress of women’s cricket in the UAE and highlighted the competitiveness of the national side on the international stage.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah offered his congratulations to all winners, emphasizing the purpose behind the awards. He stated that the accolades were designed to celebrate the extraordinary work delivered by ICC Associate Members around the world. He added that the 2025 winners exemplify how cricket can drive participation, create opportunity, strengthen communities, and deliver performances that attract global attention. Shah praised the selected initiatives for their impact across regions and their potential to inspire broader engagement with the sport.
Shah also highlighted the role of these initiatives in shaping the future of cricket by expanding access, talent development, and community involvement. He expressed confidence that the achievements of the winners would leave a lasting legacy and help drive further growth in the sport in the years ahead. The ICC Development Awards 2025 thus showcased the power of targeted development programmes to transform cricket landscapes, nurture aspiring players, and strengthen the global cricket ecosystem.
In summary, the ICC Development Awards 2025 celebrated the Emirates Cricket Board for a remarkable haul of three global honours, recognizing its innovative approaches to growing the game, especially among female players. Türkiye, Italy, Japan, Brazil, and Nigeria also earned awards for notable development and enhancement efforts, reflecting the ICC’s broad commitment to fostering growth, participation, and performance across Associate Members worldwide. The event underscored cricket’s expanding footprint and its potential to inspire communities, create opportunities for young people, and deliver performances that resonate on a global scale. The recognition from ICC leadership further cements the ongoing momentum for development initiatives across the global cricket landscape.