Afghanistan face a do-or-die battle against UAE in Match 28 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, on February 16, desperate to revive their faltering campaign and stay in contention for the Super Eights.
Team Form and Stakes
Afghanistan, captained by Rashid Khan, have stumbled with back-to-back losses—a defeat to New Zealand followed by a thrilling double Super Over reverse against South Africa—leaving their progression hanging by a thread. UAE, buoyed by a win over Canada, sit third in Group D and can nearly seal qualification with victory, making this a high-pressure elimination showdown.
Head-to-Head Edge
Afghanistan dominate the T20I record with 11 wins from 14 meetings against UAE’s 3, bolstered by superior spin firepower and big-match nous. UAE rely on momentum from their recent success but face a stern test against Rashid’s attack on a pitch expected to offer early seam help before favoring batsmen.
Probable Playing XIs
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Gulbadin Naib, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad.
UAE: Aryansh Sharma (wk), Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Sohaib Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Junaid Siddique, Haider Ali, Dhruv Parashar, Muhammad Rohid Khan.
Players to Watch
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG): 111 runs in two games; explosive opener key to setting a platform.
- Junaid Siddique (UAE): Pace spearhead tasked with early breakthroughs to unsettle Afghanistan’s batting.
Predictions favor Afghanistan’s experience to prevail, but UAE’s confidence could spark an upset.
