In sports, the way a team loses can sometimes be more damaging than the loss itself. Afghanistan experienced this firsthand in Ahmedabad last week, when what seemed like a manageable target of 188 against South Africa quickly fell apart, leading to a defeat despite having a strong position.
Now, after a four-day break and thorough reflection, Afghanistan needs a decisive victory against the UAE in their Group D match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday morning to avoid an early exit from the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.
The two teams have played 14 T20Is, with Afghanistan winning 11 and the UAE winning 3. This is their first match against each other in the ICC T20 World Cup, making Monday's encounter a historic one. In their previous five encounters, Afghanistan has a 4-1 advantage over the UAE, which should provide a boost to the team led by Rashid Khan.
Having reached the semifinals in the 2024 edition of the tournament, Afghanistan's losses to New Zealand and South Africa have left them needing not just victories, but also favorable results from other matches – a combination of outcomes that tournaments occasionally provide, but are rarely achieved.
More concerning than the results has been the pattern of losses. The match against South Africa, in particular, was one where Afghanistan lost control at a critical juncture in Ahmedabad.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz had looked in excellent form and appeared set to lead Afghanistan to their first victory of the competition. However, the target was within reach, and the team, which seemed destined for success, ultimately lost.
Afghanistan's priority will be to address their batting concerns and break the pattern of consecutive dismissals, which creates immense pressure. They will also need to ensure that their batsmen take responsibility for stabilizing the innings when wickets fall, rather than relying solely on aggressive stroke play.
This shift in philosophy could be crucial for a team that has built its reputation on bold and fearless stroke play. Gurbaz's good form, especially under pressure, could prove decisive not only in Monday's match but also for Afghanistan's slim chances of progressing beyond the group stage.
Bowling, particularly in the later overs, has also been a major weakness for Afghanistan. They have conceded 72 runs in overs 17-20 of the competition at an economy rate of 12.3, which is among the highest in the tournament. Only Oman and Canada have been more expensive in this phase.
Afghanistan desperately needs veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi to regain his finishing prowess, while they also need seam-bowling all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, who has taken four wickets in this World Cup, to control his economy rate. Omarzai has conceded more than 40 runs in two matches at an economy of 10.3, and also struggled in the Super Over against the Proteas.
Meanwhile, the UAE arrives with renewed confidence after their second-ever T20 World Cup victory – a five-wicket win over Canada at the same venue on Friday evening. They chased down their target with two balls to spare after scoring 56 runs in the final 22 deliveries, with their death-overs batting being a key factor.
The maiden five-wicket haul (5-35) of senior pacer Junaid Siddique, the first five-for by a UAE bowler in T20 World Cups, was a major contribution to the UAE's memorable victory. More significantly, opener Aryansh Sharma's unbeaten 74 and Sohaib Khan's blistering 51 showcased the UAE's strong batting lineup beyond the key players like captain Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu.
In T20 cricket, momentum can shift quickly. Afghanistan learned this in the harshest possible way against South Africa. On Monday morning in New Delhi, they have the opportunity to reverse the momentum and defeat the UAE, or risk an early exit from the tournament.
When: Monday, February 16, 11:00 AM IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Where to watch: Star Sports Network for live TV broadcast and JioHotstar for live streaming
Squads:
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Sediqullah Atal, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Ishaq Rahimi, Shahidullah Kamal, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran, and Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Haider Shah, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan, and Simranjeet Singh
