New Delhi, Feb 13 (.) UAE registered their first win of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with
a thrilling comeback win against Canada at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Friday.
Chasing a target of 151, UAE clawed back from 66/4 in 12.3 overs to push across the finish line with five wickets and two balls to spare.
Aryansh Sharma (74 not out) and Sohaib Khan (51) were the ones who brought UAE back from the brink with a 84-run partnership in just 43 balls.
After a slow start, Sharma made sure UAE ended powerplay on a positive note, scoring 17 runs in the sixth over to push his team to 39/1. He stood tall amidst the chaos, chipping away at the Canadian total to keep his team in the running.
He struck six fours and three sixes on the way to the highest score by a UAE player in the T20 World Cup. It was Sohaib Khan’s 51 off 29 balls that galvanized the team. With four fours and four sixes, he took the attack to the Canadian bowlers just when they were starting to tighten the screws. UAE scored 56 runs in the last four overs to storm to the finish line.
Saad Bin Zafar was the pick of the Canadian bowlers, snapping 3/14 in his four overs.
Earlier in the day, Canada laboured to 150/7 after electing to bat.
UAE pacer Junaid Siddique pushed Canada on the back foot right away, dismissing openers Bajwa and Samra. Muhammad Jawadullah made the perfect start as he claimed the wicket of Nicholas Kirton on the very first ball of his spell as Canada ended powerplay at 39/3.
Navneet Dhaliwal and Harsh Thaker steadied the innings with a 58-run partnership. Thaker was the one that held down the fort for Canada, scoring 51 off 40 balls, with the help of three sixes and two fours. Dhaliwal contributed with 34 while Shreyas Movva chipped in with 21.
Siddique was the pick of the UAE bowlers, claiming 5/35, a first fifer for a UAE bowler in the T20 World Cup.
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