The United Arab Emirates (UAE) began its T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against New Zealand at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. After opting to bat first on a surface, which their captain, Mohammad Waseem, felt would remain the same for the entire game, it was important for them to get a good start inside the power play. 

UAE lost their wicket-keeper opening batter, Aryansh Sharma, early in the innings for eight runs in six balls as he was hurried by the pace of Jacob Duffy to play the pull shot and got dismissed. However, Muhammad Waseem gave them a good energy with a fine 6 against Duffy on the fourth delivery of the fourth over in the innings.

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It was a short delivery around the stump as the right-handed batter who loves hitting sixes arched back and used the pace of the bowler to ramp it over the slip cordon as it got plenty of energy to sail over the boundary rope for a massive six.

Muhammad Waseem upper cuts Jacob Duffy for 6 in T20 WC 2026 

After the Early wicket, the UAE captain and their number three batter, Alishan Sharafu, put up a fine partnership of 107 runs for the second wicket in 77 balls, where the latter ended up with 55 runs in 47 balls with the help of five boundaries and two sixes.

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Sharafu was dismissed thanks to a fine catch in the combination of Mark Chapman and Darry Mitchell on the boundary rope, where the former understood the speed of the delivery coming at him and jumped at the right time to put a jump inside the field before Mitchell grabbed the simple catch to dismiss the left-handed batter to break the momentum of the Asian side.

For the second consecutive game, Mitchell Shantner bowled a fine spell of 1 for 23 in his four overs as he managed the speed but deliveries pretty well, having been familiar with the surface and playing at this ground. UAE finished with 173/6 in their allotted 20 overs with Waseem remaining unbeaten on 66 runs in 45 balls. 

Brief Scoes: UAE 173/6 (Muhammad Waseem 66*, Matt Henry 2/37) vs New Zealand 13/0 (Tim Seifert 7*)