United Arab Emirates (UAE) secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over Canada at Arun Jaitley Stadium, achieving their first win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after a tense chase of 151 runs.
Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan rescued UAE from early setbacks, compiling a brilliant partnership that guided the team to victory in the final over with composure and power-hitting.
Canada’s earlier batting was undermined by Junaid Siddique’s devastating bowling, restricting runs and taking key wickets to ensure UAE had a manageable target for a dramatic finish.
Toss
Canada elected to bat first and faced immediate pressure from UAE’s disciplined bowling, struggling to build partnerships while Siddique dominated the early overs with incisive pace and accuracy.
Harsh Thaker top-scored with a fighting 50 off 41 balls, including two fours and three sixes, but Siddique dismissed him at a crucial stage, limiting Canada’s momentum.
Navneet Dhaliwal contributed 34 off 28 deliveries, but a smart run-out by Mohammad Arfan broke another promising stand, leaving Canada reeling at key moments in the innings.
Junaid Siddique wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming five crucial wickets and maintaining tight lines, making it extremely difficult for Canadian batters to score freely or build partnerships.
Supporting Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah contributed one wicket and bowled economically, applying pressure and forcing errors that ultimately restricted Canada to a total of 150 for nine in their 20 overs.
Batting brilliance
Chasing 151, UAE’s openers faced early setbacks as skipper Muhammad Waseem fell cheaply for four and Alishan Sharafu for five, putting immense pressure on the middle order.
Aryansh Sharma responded with a composed 74 off 53 balls, featuring six boundaries and three sixes, stabilizing the innings and forming a match-winning partnership with Sohaib Khan.
Sohaib Khan accelerated the scoring with 51 off 29 balls, hitting four boundaries and four sixes, keeping UAE in contention despite the early wickets and tense chase situation.
The partnership between Sharma and Khan turned the game in UAE’s favor, setting up a dramatic finish that saw Muhammad Arfan seal the victory with a boundary off the final over.
Man of Match
Junaid Siddique’s devastating bowling performance was the standout of the match, taking five wickets for 35 runs in four overs and dismantling Canada’s top and middle order efficiently.
His spell ensured UAE never faced a daunting target, providing a perfect platform for the Sharma-Khan partnership to chase the total, earning him the well-deserved Man of the Match award.
