Afghanistan secured a crucial five-wicket victory over United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their T20 World Cup 2026 match on Monday in New Delhi, keeping their hopes alive for advancing to the Super Eight stage of the tournament. Deciding to field, Afghanistan’s bowlers struck early, restricting UAE to a manageable total of 160/9 in 20 overs.
UAE, who lost their openers cheaply, were anchored by a brilliant innings from Sohaib Khan, who scored a fighting 68 off 48 deliveries. A valuable 40-run knock from Alishan Sharafu also played a key role in taking UAE to a fighting total. Afghanistan spinner Azmatullah Omarzai, taking four wickets, was the standout bowler. Mujeeb Ur Rahman claimed two wickets to keep UAE under constant pressure.
Chasing 161, Afghanistan lost a few early wickets but were steadied by a strong middle-order performance. Ibrahim Zadran stood out with a well-made 53 off 41 balls. Darwish Abdul Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai belted 33 and 40*, respectively, to help Afghanistan reach 162/5 with four balls to spare. Notably, the victory was a morale booster for Afghanistan, who had been under pressure after earlier setbacks in the tournament, including a narrow loss in a double Super Over against South Africa earlier in the campaign.