The United Arab Emirates have secured a place in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka after clinching a top-three finish at the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier held in Oman. This accomplishment adds them to Nepal and Oman, who had already secured their spots earlier, completing the roster of 20 teams for the global tournament.
In a decisive match against Japan, Muhammad Waseem’s team emerged victorious, knocking Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming’s side out of the qualification race. The outcome also dashed the hopes of Qatar and Samoa, as a top-three finish became mathematically impossible for them.
The Emirati team displayed strong fielding prowess, initiating with a direct hit run-out by Muhammad Farooq to dismiss Abhishek Anand. Farooq continued to shine by claiming the crucial wicket of Kadowaki-Fleming, caught on the boundary off the bowling of Haider Ali.
Despite a brief partnership between Wataru Miyauchi and Abdul Samad towards the end, Japan struggled to recover from a challenging start, finishing with a total of 116 runs. Miyauchi’s resilient 45 not out from 32 balls was a standout performance.
In their chase, UAE asserted dominance early on, with Alishan Sharafu and the skipper quickly reaching 36/0 in the first three overs. Although Waseem and Sharafu fell during the chase, the Emirati team successfully completed the run chase in the 13th over, securing their qualification spot and igniting celebrations.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will feature a diverse lineup of teams, with India and Sri Lanka hosting the tournament. Additionally, teams like Afghanistan, Australia, and Bangladesh have qualified based on their top 7 finishes in the T20WC 2024, while others like Ireland and New Zealand have earned their spots through the ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings. Other teams from different regions have also qualified through regional qualifiers, including Canada, Italy, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, along with Nepal, Oman, and the UAE from the Asia/EAP Qualifier.