Afghanistan kept their Super 8 hopes alive with a composed and clinical 5-wicket victory against the UAE in a tense Group D clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

T20 World Cup 2026 — Afghanistan vs UAE

Match Summary (Group D, Delhi)

🏏 Match Overview

• Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
• Toss: Afghanistan elected to bowl
• Result: Afghanistan won by 5 wickets (162/5 in 19.2 overs, chasing 161)
• Player of the Match: Azmatullah Omarzai
• 4/15 (4 overs)
• 40* off 21 balls

🇦🇪 UAE Innings — 160/9 (20 overs)

UAE posted a competitive total, anchored by:

• Sohaib Khan — 68 (48)
• Alishan Sharafu — 40 (31)

But Afghanistan’s bowlers, especially Omarzai, kept striking at crucial moments:

• Azmatullah Omarzai — 4/15
• Mujeeb Ur Rahman — 2/31

UAE’s innings lost momentum in the final overs, finishing at 160/9.

🇦🇫 Afghanistan Chase — 162/5 (19.2 overs)

The chase began shakily with Rahmanullah Gurbaz falling for a duck. But:

• Ibrahim Zadran steadied the innings with 53 (41)
• Darwish Rasooli added a brisk 33 (23)

With 52 needed off the last 5 overs, the match was in the balance. Omarzai then produced a stunning finish:

• Finished the chase with 6, 4, 4 in the final over
• Stayed unbeaten on 40* (21)

⭐ Why Afghanistan Won

• Omarzai’s all‑round brilliance — the defining factor
• Zadran’s stabilizing half‑century
• Disciplined death bowling restricting UAE
• Composure under pressure during the final overs

📌 Impact on the Tournament

This was Afghanistan’s first win of the 2026 T20 World Cup, keeping their Super 8 qualification hopes alive, though dependent on other results.