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United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially named star batter Muhammad Waseem as the captain of their 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Set to begin on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka, this tournament marks the UAE's third appearance on the world stage. The team earned its qualification after a decisive victory over Japan during the Super Six stage of the Asia & East Asia-Pacific Qualifier held in Oman last year.
UAE reveal T20 World Cup squad
Having previously exited at the group stage in both the 2014 and 2022 editions, the UAE is looking to make a deeper impact this time around. To fine-tune their preparations, they are scheduled to play a two-match T20I series against Ireland, followed by official warm-up fixtures against Nepal on February 3 and Italy on February 6. These matches will be crucial for the squad to acclimate to the subcontinental conditions before the main event begins.
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UAE find themselves in a challenging Group D, alongside Canada, Afghanistan, former champions New Zealand, and 2024 finalists South Africa. Their campaign kicks off on February 10 in Chennai against New Zealand. Following the opener, the squad will relocate to Delhi for their remaining group fixtures, facing Canada on February 13, Afghanistan on February 16, and concluding against South Africa on February 18. Successful teams from this group will then progress to the Super Eights stage starting February 21.
The UAE’s 2026 World Cup roster features a blend of veteran leadership and fresh talent, anchored by three survivors from their 2022 campaign in Australia: captain Muhammad Waseem, Alishan Sharafu, and Junaid Siddique. Waseem’s role is particularly significant, as he has served as the team's primary leader for the past three years. His deep familiarity with the squad is evident in his statistics, having captained the side in 66 of his 92 international appearances.
The team’s preparations will be guided by an experienced support staff led by head coach Lalchand Rajput, a former Indian international. Joining him is former Pakistan pacer Yasir Arafat, who has been appointed as the fast bowling coach, and Zimbabwe’s Stanley Chioza, who will serve as the fielding coach.
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Arafat brings a wealth of tactical knowledge to the role, having represented Pakistan in 27 international matches across all formats. His coaching resume is equally impressive, with experience across various national teams and global franchises. He is set to work closely with the UAE squad during their upcoming series against Ireland and throughout their World Cup campaign.
UAE's T20 World Cup 2026 squad:
Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan and Simranjeet Singh
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