UAE skipper Muhammad Wasim produced a captain’s knock, remaining unbeaten on 66 to propel his side to 173 for 6 against New Zealand in a Group D T20 World Cup fixture at Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium. Batting first after a toss win, UAE laid down a gauntlet for the favored Kiwis.
The innings began disastrously with Aryansh Sharma out for 8, scoreboard reading 12 for 1. Wasim steadied the ship alongside Alishan Sharafu in a marathon 107-run second-wicket alliance. Sharafu’s 55 off 47 (5×4, 2×6) was a highlight before he holed out.
Momentum carried forward as Wasim linked with Mayank Kumar for 40 runs off just 22 balls for the fourth wicket. Kumar’s 21 (12 balls, 2×4, 1×6) injected pace, though the middle order faltered later with Kaushik (2) and Khan (7). Wasim’s 45-ball stay, punctuated by 4 boundaries and 3 maximums, plus 14 extras, lifted UAE close to 180.
New Zealand rotated seven bowlers effectively. Matt Henry shone with 2/37, while Duffy, Ferguson, Santner, and Phillips chipped in with one each. This disciplined approach restricted UAE’s ambitions of crossing 200.
Debutants UAE smell blood against a New Zealand outfit riding high from their Afghanistan demolition. Can the Associates spring a surprise in this World Cup showdown?