Afghanistan vs UAE Prediction & Match Preview – T20 World Cup 2026, 28th Match
Match summary
Afghanistan play the UAE at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on 16 February 2026. Read our preview with likely XIs, pitch, weather and score ranges.
Match details
| Match | Afghanistan vs United Arab Emirates, 28th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Date | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Start time | 5:30 am GMT / 11:00 am local |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Afghanistan |
| Toss pick | Afghanistan |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Afghanistan have had a mixed tournament. They could not match New Zealand’s discipline in the opener, but they bounced back against South Africa, taking that game to the wire before falling just short. The performances have been competitive, and now they need to turn them into wins to keep their qualification hopes alive.
The UAE have seen both highs and lows. A 10-wicket defeat to New Zealand was a hard start, but they responded with a hard-fought win over Canada, showing better composure with bat and ball. They will see this match as a chance to build on that and strengthen their position in the group.
The short square boundaries in Delhi encourage attacking play in the powerplay, and a fast start could take the total beyond 175. As the pitch wears, it may grip and slow, which would suit Afghanistan’s spinners between overs 7 and 15. If dew appears, chasing could get easier.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch is generally good for batting, with decent pace and steady bounce. Seamers can find some early movement under lights, but it fades. Spinners may come into play in the middle overs as the surface wears, though big turn is not guaranteed. Totals here have often been high.
Delhi is expected to be warm and pleasant around the late-morning start, with hazy sunshine and temperatures rising from the mid-20s °C towards about 29 °C. Rain is very unlikely, although haze and poor air quality are possible.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 165–180 | – |
| Second innings | 150–165 | – |
Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s experience and spin attack should help them control the middle overs against a UAE side that has only one win so far.
Toss pick: Afghanistan
FAQ
Who is favoured in Afghanistan vs UAE?
Our preview picks Afghanistan, whose spin attack could control the middle overs.
How have both teams started?
Afghanistan lost to New Zealand and then narrowly to South Africa. The UAE lost to New Zealand by 10 wickets and then beat Canada.
What could decide the game?
The powerplay. UAE must avoid early wickets, while Afghanistan will look to attack early.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Afghanistan
- Rahmanullah Gurbazwk
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Gulbadin Naib
- Sediqullah Atal
- Darwish Rasooli
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Mohammad Nabi
- Rashid Khanc
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Noor Ahmad
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
United Arab Emirates
- Aryansh Sharmawk
- Muhammad Waseemc
- Alishan Sharafu
- Mayank Kumar
- Harshit Kaushik
- Sohaib Khan
- Muhammad Arfan
- Muhammad Farooq
- Haider Ali
- Junaid Siddique
- Muhammad Jawadullah