Afghanistan vs UAE, T20 World Cup 2026: Live Score Updates

Afghanistan have finally crossed the finish line to claim their first win of this T20 World Cup. It did not come easily, with UAE pushing them all the way, but Azmatullah Omarzai proved the difference with a clutch all-round performance, delivering with both bat and ball in a thrilling contest.

FOUR! Azmatullah Omarzai ends proceedings in style and brings up Afghanistan's first win of the campaign. Dug in short and outside off, Omarzai stands tall and slaps the ball like a tennis forehand, powering it over extra cover for a boundary. AFGHANISTAN WIN BY 5 WICKETS!

Back of a length and outside off, Nabi goes for the flat-batted shot but toe-ends it towards mid off. The fielder is at the edge of the circle and they pinch a single with ease. 3 needed off 5, UAE need wickets to make things interesting.

Just 4 needed in the last over now. Can Junaid Siddique pull off something special here?

FOUR! Oh, that's a bit cruel on the bowler but that should be the game sealed for Afghanistan. A full ball targeting the leg stump, Azmatullah Omarzai clears the front leg to heave but gets an inside edge past leg stump and the ball rolls away into the fine leg fence. Just 4 needed now off 6 balls.

SIX! Azmatullah Omarzai has recovered the last two dots and he is coming up clutch for his team. Hard length, angled across off and there's just too much width on it. Omarzai reaches out and gets a hold of the lofted shot, nailing it over deep cover for a biggie. The 150 is now up for Afghanistan.

Oh, unlucky for the bowler but the keeper does well here. Slower delivery, full and slanted well across off. Azmatullah Omarzai has another wild swing at it and gets a big outside edge that falls well short of the keeper. Aryansh Sharma does well to lunge and get his body behind the line of the ball. Another dot ball.

Good change-up from Jawadullah. Goes seam-up and slips in a fuller delivery just across the off stump. Azmatullah Omarzai swings and misses.

WIDE! Marginal but seems like the right call. Slower one, bowled very full and well outside off, Omarzai fails to get any bat on it.

Slightly fuller and outside off, dabbed away wide of short third for a quick single.

Goes for the wide yorker, does Jawadullah and gets it pretty spot-on. Omarzai extends the arms and slashes it to deep backward point for just a single.

Muhammad Jawadullah to bowl the penultimate over.

Junaid closes the over out decently after that six off the first ball, and Afghanistan now need 17 runs off 12 balls. Back of a length, slower and wider of the off stump, Omarzai pats it through cover-point for a run.

Oh, uppish but in the gap as well. Pitched up, full and outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai lunges and lofts the cover drive wide of long off for a couple of handy runs.

A bit slower, back of a length and outside off, tapped away wide of point for a single by Nabi.

There is still life left in the United Arab Emirates. Mohammad Nabi comes out to the middle now.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Junaid Siddique strikes back and uproots one of the set batters. Junaid goes searching for the straight yorker, doesn't quite land it perfectly but it is relatively full and dead straight. It tails in a hint as well, Darwish Rasooli hangs back and has a swoosh across the line but ends up playing all around it. The ball zips through and castles into the stumps, ending Rasooli's knock of 33 (23). 21 needed off 15 now.

Fullish length, in and around off, Omarzai shows the full face of the blade and pushes it down to long off for a single.

SIX! Again, the over starts with a big hit and Afghanistan are cantering towards the finish line at the moment. A back-of-the-hand slower ball from Junaid, shortish length and around off. Azmatullah Omarzai picks it well, waits a bit and then belts it over long off for a biggie. 22 needed now off 17 balls.

Junaid Siddique (2-0-7-1) comes back into the attack.