Let’s be honest — when people type “United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard” into Google, they want two things: the numbers, and the story behind those numbers. So let’s give you both — with a little drama thrown in, because frankly, this match had plenty of it.
Disclaimer: All scorecard data in this article is sourced from publicly available information on ESPN Cricinfo, ESPN.in, and official ICC match records as of February 16, 2026. Statistics are presented for informational purposes only. Some individual batting/bowling figures may be partial where full ball-by-ball data was not publicly accessible at the time of writing. Readers are encouraged to cross-check with ESPN Cricinfo’s official full scorecard for complete figures.
Match At a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | 28th Match, Group D |
| Tournament | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025–26 |
| Date | February 16, 2026 |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, India |
| Toss | Afghanistan won; elected to field first |
| Result | Afghanistan won by 5 wickets (4 balls remaining) |
| Player of the Match | Azmatullah Omarzai (4/15 & 40* off 21 balls) |
| Points | Afghanistan 2 — UAE 0 |
| Match Referee | Javagal Srinath |
| Umpires | Leslie Reifer, Roland Black |
| TV Umpire | Paul Reiffel |
| T20I Number | T20I No. 3716 |
The Scene: Delhi, February Morning
Picture this: a bright February morning in Delhi, 25°C, sunny skies, and a cricket ground that has seen some of the game’s greatest moments. The United Arab Emirates vs Afghanistan clash might not have been the marquee fixture of the tournament — but cricket, as always, had other ideas.
Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bowl first. Smart call. Morning dew on a Delhi pitch can be a tricky customer, and their bowlers — led by the legendary Rashid Khan — were hungry.
The question heading into this United Arab Emirates vs Afghanistan fixture was simple: could UAE pull off the kind of upset that makes this format so endlessly exciting? They came really close. But “close” doesn’t go on the trophy.
UAE Innings: 160/9 in 20 Overs — Brave, But Just Not Enough
How UAE Batted
UAE walked out knowing they had to be bold. And for much of the innings, they genuinely were.
Aryansh Sharma didn’t last long — gone for zero off the very first wicket challenge, Afghanistan making their intent clear from ball one. Muhammad Waseem, the captain, also departed cheaply at 13/2, leaving UAE in early bother.
Then came the rescue act. Alishan Sharafu and Sohaib Khan put on a brilliant third-wicket stand of 50 runs in just 31 balls — exactly the platform UAE needed. They raced to 55/2 at the powerplay and looked threatening.
Sohaib Khan was the real star of the UAE innings. He played beautifully through the middle overs — anchoring at 45 when UAE went to drinks at 113/3 in the 14th over, before reaching a well-deserved fifty. His innings was the kind of knock that makes neutral fans sit up and think: this UAE side is no pushover.
But then Omarzai happened.
He ripped through the late middle-order and death overs with clinical precision. UAE lost wickets in quick succession — 114/4, 114/5, and their lower order never quite fired. Simranjeet Singh remained unbeaten on 3, the last man standing as UAE finished on 160/9. Extras of 9 also didn’t help their cause.
Rashid Khan completed his spell with a hat of a moment — claiming his 700th wicket in T20 cricket, taking out Muhammad Arfan via hit wicket. The man literally stumped himself out trying to scoop Rashid. That’s how good Rashid is — batters lose their minds trying to score off him.
A score of 160 felt 15–20 runs short of being truly challenging on that surface, but the United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team had their chin up. Their bowling attack would need to do something special.
UAE Full Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Key Moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aryansh Sharma (wk) | c Sohaib Khan b Mujeeb | 0 | Gone 1st ball (0.4 ov) |
| Muhammad Waseem (c) | Out | Early | Fell at 13/2 (1.6 ov) |
| Alishan Sharafu | Out | ~49 | 50-run stand with Sohaib |
| Sohaib Khan | c Sq Leg b Omarzai | 50+ | Top scorer, dismissed by Omarzai |
| Syed Haider | b Omarzai | 13 | Out 14.2 ov |
| Harshit Kaushik | Out | — | Out 14.5 ov |
| Haider Ali | Out | — | Hit with Omarzai’s pace |
| Muhammad Arfan | Hit Wicket b Rashid | — | Rashid’s 700th T20I wicket |
| Simranjeet Singh | Not Out | 3 | Last man standing |
| Junaid Siddique | Run Out | — | Gurbaz’s sharp glovework (19.6 ov) |
| Muhammad Jawadullah | — | — | — |
| Extras | 9 | ||
| TOTAL | 160/9 | 20 overs |
Afghanistan Chase: Nervy, Scrappy, But Ultimately Clinical
How Afghanistan Batted
Right, so Afghanistan needed 161 off 20 overs. Should be fine for one of the world’s most explosive batting sides, right?
Not quite.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Afghanistan’s explosive wicket-keeper batter, was gone for a duck in the very second over (0.2). He tried to smash a delivery over the covers, got a thick edge, and Sohaib Khan — who had absolutely no off day — took a calm catch. It was an arrogant shot. Classic Gurbaz, and for once, it cost them immediately.
Gulbadin Naib steadied things briefly before departing at 40 in the 5th over. Sediqullah Atal followed at 70 in the 10th. Ibrahim Zadran — Afghanistan’s reliable anchor — was then dismissed at 97 in the 13th over, at a critical moment that truly opened the door for UAE.
At 97/4 in the 13th over, with Afghanistan’s top order in tatters, United Arab Emirates vs Afghanistan today suddenly felt very much alive for UAE. The United Arab Emirates vs Afghanistan live audience was on the edge of their seats.
Azmatullah Omarzai: The One-Man Army
Here’s the thing about truly special players — they don’t just do one job well. They do two jobs brilliantly on the same afternoon.
With the ball: 4 for 15 in 4 overs. UAE batters couldn’t read him.
With the bat: He came in with Afghanistan under pressure and simply batted like the target wasn’t a concern. He was on 20 off 17 when he hit the accelerator. In the 17th over, he ransacked 12 off 4 balls. Then he hit 6, 4, 4 off his final three deliveries.
His final line: 40 not out off just 21 balls. Strike rate: 190.47.
He finished the match with a four slapped crisply through the covers. Afghanistan 162/5 in 19.2 overs — won by 5 wickets with 4 balls to spare.
The crowd was stunned. Omarzai just smiled and walked off.
ESPN Cricinfo’s MVP Impact Score: 167.71 pts — the highest of the match, by a country mile.
Afghanistan Full Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Out | Score | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) | c Sohaib b Arfan | 0 | 0/1 (0.2 ov) |
| Gulbadin Naib | Out | — | 40/2 (5.3 ov) |
| Sediqullah Atal | Out | — | 70/3 (9.5 ov) |
| Ibrahim Zadran | c M. Waseem b Haider | — | 97/4 (13.1 ov) |
| Darwish Rasooli | b Simranjeet Singh | — | 140/5 (17.3 ov) |
UAE Bowling: Credit Where It’s Due
United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team matchups historically don’t produce much drama — but UAE’s bowling on this day earned genuine respect. They took wickets at crucial moments, kept the pressure on, and made Afghanistan sweat far more than expected.
Muhammad Arfan got Gurbaz early. Simranjeet Singh — offspinner — bowled the 16th over, keeping it tight. Haider Ali and others maintained consistent pressure. Had they held one or two more catches and bowled slightly tighter at the death, this could easily have been an upset.
How Did UAE Perform Overall in This World Cup?
The United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team have always punched above their weight in ICC tournaments. In this particular fixture, they showed real character — getting to 160, taking five wickets, and making Afghanistan work for every run. However, the lack of a finisher and the brilliance of Omarzai ultimately cost them 2 crucial points.
This was only Afghanistan’s first win of the tournament at this stage — which tells you just how competitive Group D was in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025–26.
Rashid Khan’s 700 Club
Let’s not gloss over this. In a match full of highlights, Rashid Khan quietly became only the second bowler in T20I history to take 700 wickets across all T20 competitions during this game. The wicket came via a hit wicket — Muhammad Arfan stumbled back into his stumps trying to sweep him. It wasn’t the most glorious of dismissals, but Rashid had said before the tournament: “I never count my wickets.” He just takes them.
Conclusion
The United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard tells one story very clearly: cricket is sometimes just one player’s game.
UAE were brave. They batted well, bowled with discipline, and gave Afghanistan a real scare. In another 10% of timelines, Sohaib Khan’s fifty builds to 80, and UAE post 175. Maybe then the result flips.
But Omarzai happened. And when Omarzai happens, scorecards get written about him for years.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What was the final result of UAE vs Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup 2026?
Afghanistan won by 5 wickets with 4 balls remaining. They chased down 161 in 19.2 overs.
Q2. Who was the Player of the Match in this UAE vs Afghanistan game?
Azmatullah Omarzai won the Player of the Match award for his all-round performance — 4 wickets for 15 runs with the ball and an unbeaten 40 off 21 balls with the bat.
Q3. What did UAE score in the United Arab Emirates vs Afghanistan match?
UAE posted 160/9 in their 20 overs. Sohaib Khan was their top scorer, reaching a half-century.
Q4. Where was the UAE vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2026 match played?
The match was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, India, on February 16, 2026.
Q5. What was Rashid Khan’s milestone in this match?
Rashid Khan took his 700th wicket across all T20 competitions in this match — the dismissal came via a hit wicket by Muhammad Arfan.
Q6. Was this Afghanistan’s first win at the T20 World Cup 2026?
Yes! This was Afghanistan’s first win of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2025–26, giving them their first 2 points in Group D.
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