New Delhi, 13 February (Sports Desk)
United Arab Emirates Edge Canada by 5 Wickets in Thrilling T20 World Cup Chase – Junaid Siddique Claims Player of the Match with Career-Best 5/35!
In a gripping Group D encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (Match 20), the United Arab Emirates pulled off a hard-fought 5-wicket victory over Canada at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on February 13, 2026. This win marked UAE’s first points in the tournament (their second overall in T20 World Cup history after beating Namibia in 2022) and boosted their slim hopes of advancing to the Super 8 stage.
Match Summary
- Canada batted first and posted a competitive but below-par 150/7 in 20 overs on a tricky Delhi pitch.
- UAE chased 151 and reached 151/5 in 19.4 overs (with 2 balls to spare), sealing a tense last-over thriller.
Canada’s innings featured a solid top-order effort but collapsed under pressure from UAE’s pace attack. UAE’s chase started shakily but was rescued by a superb partnership in the middle overs.
Key Performances
Canada Batting
- Harsh Thaker top-scored with a fighting 50 off 41 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes).
- Navneet Dhaliwal contributed 34.
- Shreyas Movva added a useful 21.
- Lower order struggled as UAE’s bowlers tightened the screws in the death overs.
UAE Bowling – The Star Turn
- Junaid Siddique delivered a match-defining spell: 5/35 in 4 overs (his career-best and the best figures by a UAE player in T20 World Cups). He dismantled the top and middle order, picking up key wickets including Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (twice in the powerplay and middle), Harsh Thaker, and finishing strongly.
- Muhammad Arfan supported with 0/33 but tight lines.
- Other bowlers kept the pressure on, restricting Canada to under 8 runs per over.
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UAE Batting Chase
UAE were in trouble at 66/4 in 12.3 overs but staged a remarkable recovery:
- Aryansh Sharma remained unbeaten on a match-winning 74 off 53 balls* (6 fours, 3 sixes) – calm, composed, and anchoring the innings.
- Sohaib Khan blasted a quickfire 51 off 29 balls (crucial acceleration with boundaries and sixes).
- Their 84-run stand off just 43 balls turned the game decisively.
- Saad Bin Zafar was Canada’s best bowler with 3/14, but it wasn’t enough.
Player of the Match: Junaid Siddique
The 33-year-old senior pacer was the architect of UAE’s victory. His fiery 5/35 – including early breakthroughs and death-over scalps – set up the chase perfectly. This was his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is and a historic high for UAE in the World Cup. Post-match, Siddique praised team strategy: “The pitch was good… we worked with coaches on conditions. Happy for the win and momentum.”
This result keeps Group D competitive, with UAE now eyeing further upsets. A fantastic display of grit and skill from the Associate side!
