New Delhi: On Friday the United Arab Emirates (UAE) defeated Canada by 5 wickets in a thrilling Group D match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Batting first, Canada scored 150/7 in 20 overs, which the UAE overhauled in 19.4 overs for the loss of 5 wickets.
What happened during the match?
Canada won the toss and elected to bat. Canada had a rocky start, but Harsh Thakar steadied the team with a sunny half-century of 50 runs in 41 balls. Navneet Dhaliwal moreover unsalaried a crucial 34 runs, helping Canada post a respectable total of 150/7 in their allotted 20 overs. UAE bowler Junaid Siddiqui was the real hero of the match, bowling lethally and taking 5 wickets for just 35 runs. Mohammad Jawadullah moreover bowled economically, taking a wicket, and keeping the pressure on the opposition.
Chasing a target of 151, the UAE suffered a major setback early on when their captain, Mohammad Wasim, was dismissed cheaply. Canadian bowler Saad Bin Zafar displayed his spin magic, taking three crucial wickets for just 14 runs. He rattled the UAE middle order, and at one point, the match appeared to be tilting in Canada's favor. Kaleem Sana and Jaskaran Singh moreover took a wicket each, forcing the UAE batsmen to struggle for runs. The excitement on the field was at its peak, and the spectators' hearts were racing with every ball.
When the UAE was in trouble, opener Aryan Sharma held one end firmly and played an unbeaten inning of 74 runs from 53 balls. He was well supported by Shoaib Khan, who batted explosively and scored 51 runs from just 29 balls. The 84-run partnership between the two completely turned the match around. Aryan Sharma's sunny innings included 6 fours and 3 towering sixes, thoroughly entertaining the spectators. Shoaib Khan moreover disrupted the rhythm of the Canadian bowlers by hitting 4 fours and 4 sixes in his innings.
What happened during the final over?
The match went lanugo to the final over, with UAE needing just a few runs to win. Jaskaran Singh created some suspense in the final moments by dismissing Shoaib Khan, but it was too late. UAE scored 151 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 19.4 overs and won the match by 5 wickets. Mohammad Arfan came in at the end, scoring 1 run not out, completing the formalities of victory.
