New Zealand and UAE Clash in Chennai as T20 World Cup Group D Heats Up
– Chennai’s M.A. Chidambaram Stadium will host a compelling contest today as New Zealand takes on the United Arab Emirates in a Group D match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The match, scheduled to begin at local time, pits the tournament favorites against an ambitious UAE side eager to make their mark.
Group D has already been dubbed the “group of death,” and this fixture promises to add to the intensity. New Zealand comes into the match following a successful chase against Afghanistan, registering what was reportedly their highest successful chase in T20 World Cup history. The Black Caps will be looking to build on that momentum against the UAE.
The United Arab Emirates, led by captain Muhammad Waseem, will be aiming to upset the odds. Waseem, the team’s leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals, will be crucial to their batting lineup. The UAE squad also includes Alishan Sharafu and Junaid Siddique, who offer valuable all-round capabilities.
Team Lineups
United Arab Emirates: Aryansh Sharma (w), Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Mayank Kumar, Sohaib Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Arfan, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid Khan.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy.
UAE Wins the Toss, Elects to Field
In a pre-match toss, the United Arab Emirates captain, Muhammad Waseem, made the decision to field first. This suggests a strategy to exploit any potential early moisture in the pitch or to assess the conditions before setting a target.
New Zealand enters the match with a solid core of experienced players, including Tim Seifert, who played a key role in their victory over Afghanistan with a fluent 65. Glenn Phillips also made valuable contributions in that match. Despite some injury concerns and squad adjustments leading up to the tournament, New Zealand appears confident in their title ambitions.
The UAE squad has been preparing for the tournament through warm-up matches and build-up series, focusing on adapting to the conditions and challenging higher-ranked teams. They will be looking to translate that preparation into a competitive performance against New Zealand.
The match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium is expected to draw a significant crowd, adding to the atmosphere as these two teams battle for crucial points in the T20 World Cup 2026. Fans can follow live updates and highlights from the game as it unfolds.
