Afghanistan
United Arab Emirates
Azmatullah Omarzai | Player of the Match – I'm very happy with my performance. I was trying to bowl in the hard length and hit the pitch hard. It was funny for us (on the first ball non-wicket). First ball was a wicket, but the ball didn't didn't carry and I took four wickets again. That first wicket got the momentum for us. When I went to bat, I looked at the scoreboard. There were a lot of balls for us. We needed to play straight and rotate the strike. And I was speaking to my partner, just play straight and we were waiting for the bad ball. It was a good game where everyone did really well and everyone did hard work (on the South Africa game), but the result did not work our way, but we came back really well and hope we will do it again in the next match.
UAE spinners at T20 WC 2026 \nOvers: 21 \nRuns conceded: 176 \nWickets: 0 \nER: 8.38 \nDot%: 26.1% \n \nThey are the only team to not have a single wicket to spin in the competition so far. \n \nAfghanistan chasing 140-plus targets at T20 WC \nMatches: 15 \nWon: 4 (including today) \nLost: 10 \nTied: 1 (Lost in double Super Over vs SA)
14:34 Local Time, 09:04 GMT, 14:34 IST: Heartbreak for UAE, but Afghanistan will be pretty relieved. They cling on to slim Super-8 hopes, but this win confirms South Africa's place in the next round, they become the third team after West Indies and India to get a 'Q' mark against their name. 160 was just about par on this pitch, but UAE made Afghanistan sweat. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was sent packing for a duck, Gulbadin Naib and Sediqullah Atal got started and failed to convert them into bigger scores. Ibrahim Zadran held on and made a half-century, but his dismissal brought UAE back into the contest. It needed a calm nerve and Azmatullah Omarzai had plenty of them – he backed up his 4-wicket haul with an unbeaten 21-ball 40 to haul his team out of trouble and into the points tally. Muhammad Arfan bowled well for his 2 wickets, but UAE probably will look at the mid-innings slump as the reason for the loss today.
Junaid Siddique to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR, AFG win, back of a length and well wide of off – Azmatullah Omarzai climbs into the cut and clears the fielder inside the ring at cover
They need just 4 from the last over
Muhammad Jawadullah to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR, streaky, but four – despair for UAE, on a good length and at the stumps, Omarzai swings hard and gets a thick under-edge, runs away past the leg-stump and the ball runs away to the ropes
Muhammad Jawadullah to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, clubbed, Omarzai's doing it for Afgahnistan today – tad too full and wide of off, Jawadullah can't nail the yorker and lets Omarzai get under it, he drives it through the line and clatters it over extra-cover for a maximum
Junaid Siddique to Darwish Rasooli, out Bowled!! Much better from Siddique, but has the horse been bolted already? He kept it full and he kept it straight – Rasooli took his left leg out of the way and was looking to slog it onto the on-side, misses it completely and his stumps are in a disarray – 21 needed off 15 balls, is the match still on? Darwish Rasooli b Junaid Siddique 33(23) [4s-3 6s-1]
Junaid Siddique to Darwish Rasooli, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!
Junaid Siddique to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, smashed, slower ball outside off, but it's a back of a length delivery and sits up to the right-hander. Omarzai swings hard and sends it soaring over long-off for a maximum
Muhammad Arfan to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR, thumped, fuller length delivery on off – Rasooli gets under and then bludgeons the on-drive, drags it wide of mid-wickets and splits the two fielders in the deep to a nicety
Muhammad Arfan to Darwish Rasooli, SIX, hammered, sheer power from Rasooli – was full anmd just outside off, he didn't quite get to the pitch of the ball as he swung hard, the connection is good though and it sails over the bowler's head – onto the 2nd tier of the stadium
Simranjeet Singh to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX, just over deep cover's throat, tossed up on off – Omarzai backed away and was looking to go inside out over extra-cover – the fielder in the deep was well placed, but this is struck sweetly and goes beyond his leap
Muhammad Jawadullah to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR, that'll settle some nerves in the AFG camp – full-toss down leg and it's flicked behind square on the on-side, ebating the fielder's dive in the ring
Muhammad Arfan to Ibrahim Zadran, out Caught by Muhammad Waseem!! There's the big wicket and UAE believe they can still cause an upset – Was the slower short ball from Arfan, bowled into the pitch and Zadran doesn't get enough power behind the pull – he probably had to wait for that extra moment and that meant he spooned it up over mid-wicket – Waseem runs in from the deep and completes a fine running catch. They've taken drinks with UAE starting to look dangerous. Ibrahim Zadran c Muhammad Waseem b Muhammad Arfan 53(41) [4s-6 6s-1]
Muhammad Arfan to Ibrahim Zadran, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Simranjeet Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, 2 runs, tossed up on middle, worked with soft hands through mid-wicket and Zadran scampers back for the second – brings up Zadran's fifty
Simranjeet Singh to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR, lovely, tad too short and wide of off – Rasooli backs away, opens up the off-side and then hammers the drive wide of extra-cover, races away to the ropes in a hurry
Simranjeet Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, cracking shot, fraction short and at the stumps – Zadran clears his left leg and then whios it off the back-foot, places it wide of long-on for a boundary
Muhammad Jawadullah to Sediqullah Atal, out Bowled!! That's an absolute corker and Sediqullah's off-stump is on the floor – very full and kept coming back into the left-hander, wasn't the perfect yorker, but it sneaks under the left-hander's bat – he's way too late in getting it down and the off-stump goes for a walk. UAE keeping themselves interested in this chase. Sediqullah Atal b Muhammad Jawadullah 16(14) [4s-1 6s-1]
Muhammad Jawadullah to Sediqullah Atal, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!
Simranjeet Singh to Sediqullah Atal, SIX, beautifully played, Atal comes down the pitch, gets close to the ball and then hoists it high over long-on, went a long way into the stands for a maximum
Muhammad Arfan to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, cracking shot, back of a length and well wide of off – Zadran gets on top of the bounce, stands tall and then punches it wide of cover for a boundary
Muhammad Arfan to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, nicely played, back of a length and at the hips, Sediqullah gets inside the line and then clips it backward of square on the on-side, runs away to the ropes in a hurry
Simranjeet Singh to Sediqullah Atal, no run, slower and around off – pushed off the back-foot to the on-side
Simranjeet Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, 1 run, tossed up on middle, punched down to long-on for a single
Simranjeet Singh to Sediqullah Atal, 1 run, slower and at the stumps, worked into the gap past mid-wicket for a run
Simranjeet Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, 1 run, flighted delivery on middle, worked into the gap past mid-wicket for a single
Simranjeet Singh to Sediqullah Atal, 1 run, fraction short and just outside off – punched down to long-on for a single
Simranjeet Singh to Sediqullah Atal, no run, tossed up on off, punched off the back-foot to straight mid-wicket
Muhammad Arfan to Gulbadin Naib, out Caught by Harshit Kaushik!! Short, wide and straight to the fielder at backward point – width on offer and Gulbadin Naib's eyes lit up, went hard on the cut and doesn't bother to keep it down, slashes it right down backward point's throat. A straightforward catch for Harshit Kaushik and the players will take drinks at the fall of Naib. Gulbadin Naib c Harshit Kaushik b Muhammad Arfan 13(12) [4s-1 6s-1]
Muhammad Arfan to Gulbadin Naib, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Muhammad Jawadullah to Gulbadin Naib, FOUR, creamed, overpitched and wide of off – Naib waits on it, plays with a slightly open face and finds the gap wide of cover for a boundary
Muhammad Jawadullah to Ibrahim Zadran, 1 run, on a good length and angling across the right-hander – a thick edge on the drive to third man
Muhammad Jawadullah to Gulbadin Naib, 1 run, short of a length and into the pitch, pulled past square leg for a single
Muhammad Jawadullah to Gulbadin Naib, SIX, thumped, length ball around off – Naib clears his front-leg and then muscles the lofted drive, sends it soaring over long-on for a maximum
Muhammad Jawadullah to Gulbadin Naib, no run, short of a good length and just outside off – defended back at the bowler
Muhammad Jawadullah to Gulbadin Naib, no run, on a good length and angling across the right-hander – Naib swings across the line, gets a fine inside edge and the ball bounces through to the keeper
Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, 18 off the over, dropped short and wide of off – Zadran backs away, opens the face of the bat and then cuts it late, beating backward point to his left
Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, SIX, beautifully played, tossed up well outside off – Ibrahim Zadran shuffles across, bends down low and then helps the ball on its way with the sweep – didn't come off the middle, but he was always looking to clear the infield, bounces away to the ropes
Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, clubbed, the boundaries are beginning to come now – flatter and at the stumps, Zadran backs away, opens up the off-side and clatters the cut past cover
Haider Ali to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, nicely played, Zadran comes down the pitch, doesn't get to the pitch of the ball, but he went through with the lofted on-drive – almost went all the way, bouncing in front of the ropes
Junaid Siddique to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR, cracking shot, Zadran finally breaks the shackles with a superb off-drive, tad too full from Siddique – it's right in the slot and the right-hander goes through with the lofted drive, a high elbow and a straight bat
Junaid Siddique to Ibrahim Zadran, no run, another loud shout for caught behind, umpire Leslie Reifer shakes his head – UAE think about a review and they decide against it – came off the back-thigh as Zadran slugged across the line. Too high for LBW as well
Junaid Siddique to Ibrahim Zadran, no run, a shout for LBW, but this looked a fraction high, nipped back into the right-hander and past Zadran's inside edge on the fiick. They think and then decide against a review
Junaid Siddique to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, out Caught by Sohaib Khan!! A miscue and Gurbaz has holed out to third man – Just the perfect start that UAE needed, Gurbaz ran down the pitch, made room and then threw his hands on the big drive, gets a thick outside edge and the ball flies down the throat of Sohaib Khan. A poor start and Rahmanullah Gurbaz falls for a duck. Rahmanullah Gurbaz c Sohaib Khan b Junaid Siddique 0(2)
Junaid Siddique to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
12:45 Local Time, 07:15 GMT, 12:45 IST: UAE have finished with 160 on the board and this is only a par score on this wicket. They lost two early wickets, but Alishan Sharafu and Sohaib Khan added some momentum to the innings – the partnership was worth 84 for the third wicket, but UAE then lost a clump of wickets. Sohaib's 47-ball 68 was the highest score and he ensured that they went past the 150-run mark. But will it be enough? Four wickets for the impressive Azmatullah Omarzai while Mujeeb grabbed a couple. Afghanistan should be able to chase this score down with ease and keep their Super-8 hopes alive. We'll be back shortly for the chase..
Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Junaid Siddique, out Junaid Siddique Run Out!! 1 run completed. A run-out to end the innings – yorker length delivery on off, Junaid backs away and drives it through cover. They were always coming back for the second, but it isn't on – Rashid runs in from long-off, the throw is accurate and the keeper does the rest, catching Junaid well short. Junaid Siddique run out (Rashid Khan/Rahmanullah Gurbaz) 3(2)
Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Junaid Siddique, THATS OUT!! Run Out!!
Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Haider Ali, out Haider Ali Run Out!!They're finding ways to get themselves dismissed – yorker length delivery and following Haider Ali as he backed away, it's gone right through his legs and through to Rahmanullah Gurbaz – Haider somehow thinks there's a single there, but his partner isn't moving – Rahmanullah Gurbaz under-arms the shy and finds the stumps with Haider stranded out of the crease. He isn't happy with his partner, but there was no run there. Haider Ali run out (Rahmanullah Gurbaz) 13(12) [4s-2]
Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Haider Ali, THATS OUT!! Run Out!!
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sohaib Khan, out Caught by Mujeeb Ur Rahman!! A loopy slower short ball that was bowled into the pitch – Sohaib Khan shuffles across and then looks to flap it onto the on-side, but the ball climbs onto him, no pace to work with and the top-edge lobs into the hands of Mujeeb at square leg. Fourth wicket for Azmatullah Omarzai and he's on a roll. Sohaib Khan c Mujeeb Ur Rahman b Azmatullah Omarzai 68(48) [4s-6 6s-4]
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sohaib Khan, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Azmatullah Omarzai to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, beautifully played, fuller length delivery and well wide of off – Sohaib Khan leans across and scythes the drive point, the fielder in the deep gets across, slides and the ball bounces off his hand
Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Haider Ali, FOUR, cheeky and four, short and just outside off – Haider Ali backs away, opens the face of the bat and then runs it past the keeper for a boundary, 18 off the over
Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Haider Ali, FOUR, beautifully played, on a good length and just outside off – Haider Ali backs away, opens up the off-side and then creams the drive past cover for a boundary
Ziaur Rahman Sharifi to Sohaib Khan, SIX, lovely, back of a length and at the stumps – Sohaib swivels across, gets on top of the bounce and helps it on its way with the pull over long leg
Gulbadin Naib to Haider Ali, leg byes, 1 run, appeal for LBW, but this is heading down leg – Haider Ali was shaping for the flick and missed, rolled off the pad to long leg. But AFG have reviewed – no bat and it's only clipping the leg-stump – so, they don't lose a review, but they don't get the wicket as well
Rashid Khan to Muhammad Arfan, out Hit Wkt!! ! That's a horror shot from Muhammad Arfan – not sure what he was thinking? He's actually smashed his stumps with the bat and UAE continue to fall apart. Was nicely tossed up on middle and Arfan was shaping for the reverse sweep, doesn't get a good enough connection and the ball rolled to the off-side, but Arfan's motion means he swings his bat on the followthrough and onto the stumps. '1st ever hit-wicket dismissal', says Shaun Pollock on Rashid, also his 700th T20 wicket. Muhammad Arfan hit wkt b Rashid Khan 0(2)
Rashid Khan to Muhammad Arfan, THATS OUT!! Hit Wkt!!
Rashid Khan to Sohaib Khan, SIX, crunched, tossed up well wide of off – Sohaib leans forward and then lifts it nonchalantly over the bowler's head, sails into the sightscreen and brings up his fifty
Azmatullah Omarzai to Harshit Kaushik, out Caught by Rahmanullah Gurbaz!! Is there an edge? Afghanistan think so, so does umpire Leslie Reifer and Harshit Kaushik has reviewed it. Was full and wide of off, the left-hander went chasing after that and there was a sound when the ball went past the bat. Onto Ultra-Edge and it's clearly come off the outside edge – OUT will stay and UAE have lost a review. Was full and wide of off, Kaushik went chasing after that and the edge went through to Gurbaz – two wickets in the over and UAE are in trouble. Harshit Kaushik c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Azmatullah Omarzai 0(3)
Azmatullah Omarzai to Harshit Kaushik, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Azmatullah Omarzai to Syed Haider, out Bowled!! Cleaned up! On a length and angling back into the right-hander – Haider was staying leg-sided and doesn't cover for the movement, plays away from his body and watches the ball clip the top of off-stump. UAE lose a wicket just after the drinks break. Syed Haider b Azmatullah Omarzai 13(10) [4s-1 6s-1]
Azmatullah Omarzai to Syed Haider, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!
They've taken drinks with UAE looking to push along in the final six overs
Noor Ahmad to Syed Haider, SIX, hammered, a dragdown from Noor – too short and sat up on the pitch, Haider swivels across and then pummels the pull over mid-wicket for a maximum
Rashid Khan to Syed Haider, FOUR, that's a top-edged sweep. Goes wide of the short fine leg fielder and escapes to the fence. This was a leggie that finished down the leg-side, so Haider went hard on the shot and got lucky with the edge
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Alishan Sharafu, out Caught by Ibrahim Zadran!! In the airrr, not enough distance and taken at long-off. This one goes away from the right-hander, Alishan stepped out to go big but didn't get the connection right – went off the bottom of the bat. He walks back after giving a good base to his team. Alishan Sharafu c Ibrahim Zadran b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 40(31) [4s-3 6s-2]
Mujeeb Ur Rahman to Alishan Sharafu, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Noor Ahmad to Sohaib Khan, SIX, smashed, tossed up and drifting into the right-hander – Sohaib bends down low, picks the length early and then shovels the slog-sweep over mid-wicket for a maximum
Noor Ahmad to Alishan Sharafu, SIX, beautifully played, flighted delivery outside off – was the leg-break and Sharafu picked it cleanly, backs away, opens the face of the bat and goes inside out over cover with the drive, sends it soaring over cover for a maximum
Noor Ahmad to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, edged and four, the leg-break from Noor – Sohaib didn't read it, was looking to work it onto the on-side, closed the face of the bat and the leading edge flies to the right of slip
Noor Ahmad to Sohaib Khan, FOUR, nicely played, poor ball from Noor – full and down leg, Sohaib gets down low, rolled his wrists and then swept it backward of square on the on-side for a boundary
Rashid Khan to Alishan Sharafu, SIX, clubbed, tad too full from Rashid – Sharafu gets down low, plays with the spin and then hoists the slog-sweep over wide long-on for a maximum, brings up the 50-run stand
Rashid Khan to Alishan Sharafu, no run, Rashid tosses one just outside off – pushed back at the bowler
Rashid Khan to Sohaib Khan, 1 run, flighted delivery on off, a soft leading edge as Sohaib was shaping to drive it onto the on-side – a single to long-off
Rashid Khan to Alishan Sharafu, 1 run, loopy delivery outside off – driven down to long-on for a single
Rashid Khan to Sohaib Khan, 1 run, the wrong 'un from Rashid, spins into the pads and it's tucked past square leg for a single
