Afghanistan
United Arab Emirates
Afghanistan and the UAE will face each other in Match 28 of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Delhi. This will be an important Group D clash, especially for Afghanistan, which will be seeking its first win of the tournament after strong performances against tough opponents.
Afghanistan have already faced South Africa and New Zealand, and despite competitive displays, they lost both matches. Their thriller against South Africa, which went to a second Super Over, shows how competitive they have been.
Afghanistan enter this match with a stronger overall form and better head-to-head numbers.
They have won 4 of the last 5 meetings against the UAE, including 3 victories while defending totals. In the last 5 matches overall, Afghanistan will have 2 wins compared to the UAE’s single victory. Based on recent performances, squad strength and historical results, Afghanistan will start as favourites and will be expected to register their first win of this World Cup.
Afghanistan’s deeper and more experienced bowling attack, especially their spin options suited to Delhi conditions, will likely produce more wicket-taking opportunities in this match.
The betting tip is...
Top Bowler’s Team - Afghanistan
61 %
39 %
AfghanistanUnited Arab EmiratesAfghanistan’s key players will carry strong recent form into this match. Rahmanullah Gurbaz will arrive after scoring 342 runs in his last 9 matches at an average of 38 and a strike rate of 154.75, including an aggressive 84 off 42 against South Africa that pushed the game into a Super Over. Ibrahim Zadran will add stability with 335 runs in 9 matches at an average of 47.86.
Gulbadin Naib will provide momentum after his quick 63 off 35 against New Zealand. The spin attack will remain central, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman taking 17 wickets in 9 matches with a 6.91 economy, supported by Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad, as Afghanistan will likely continue using multiple spinners. Against South Africa, Azmatullah Omarzai and Rashid showed wicket-taking impact with 3 and 2 wickets respectively.
Omarzai, Rashid and Mujeeb are the key bowlers.
Predicted Lineup: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
UAE will rely heavily on their top-order batters, with Muhammad Waseem expected to lead from the front after scoring 721 runs in 24 innings over the last year. He will also bring recent form with 278 runs in 9 matches at an average of 34.75 and a strike rate of 124.66.
Alishan Sharafu will provide stability with 392 runs in 10 matches at an average of 43.56 and a strike rate of 133.33, while also accumulating 685 runs in 22 innings over the last year at an average of 34.25.
The bowling unit will depend on Muhammad Arfan, who has taken 10 wickets in 8 matches with a 6.34 economy, alongside Haider Ali with 9 wickets at a 6.31 economy. Muhammad Rohid and Junaid Siddique will support the attack, though overall bowling strength will remain weaker compared to Afghanistan.
Arfan, Haider and Rohid are the key bowlers.
Predicted Lineup: Aryansh Sharma (wk), Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Mayank Kumar, Sohaib Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Arfan, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid
Afghanistan will enter this match as the stronger side because of their bowling depth and strong spin attack. They will likely use multiple spinners again, which will suit conditions and create pressure through the middle overs. Against stronger teams like South Africa and New Zealand, Afghanistan’s bowlers will have already shown they can take regular wickets and control scoring.
UAE’s batting depends heavily on a few players, and sustained pressure from Afghanistan’s spinners and pacers will force mistakes. With Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad expected to play important roles, Afghanistan’s bowling unit will dominate in this match. This bowling advantage will win Afghanistan their first match of the tournament.
