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.