Canada vs UAE Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: UAE Recover To Win By Five Wickets

Two down, one more to go - Well, we have witnessed a couple of intriguing games on Friday, the 13th, but the action isn't over yet. After David vs Goliath early on, and a battle of the equals after that, it is now time to head into a game where one team is looking for its second win, and the other is looking to get off the mark in this edition of the tournament. USA are taking on Netherlands down south in Chennai, and the USA have already started their batting innings. You can simply switch tabs and tune in to our coverage of that clash, which should be a very close one if both teams play to their potential. Cheers!

The captain of United Arab Emirates - Muhammad Waseem, (on being asked what he said to the team at the time of the inning break), says that he just went up and made them realise that he has full trust in the team and he had a very positive feeling that they could chase the run. On their weaknesses, he says that they need to get better with their batting and prepare for the upcoming matches. He concludes his interview by praising the way Junaid Siddique bowled, and he hopes that he continues his form in the next games as well.

The captain of Canada - Dilpreet Bajwa says that they were expecting to score 160-170 but managed to get to 150, which was defendable. Gives credit to Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan for the way they batted. Reckons that the dew factor does help the chasing side in the evening, but mentions that the fast bowlers tried to stick to their lengths, which didn't quite happen. Finishes by saying that the middle order and the spin bowling are coming along nicely but they need to improve with the bat up top and be better with their lines and lengths in terms of pace bowling.

Let us listen in to what the captains have to say...

Let's recap the first innings - Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat first in the dry afternoon conditions. Junaid Siddique was prolific inside the Powerplay with the ball, and the UAE picked up 3 wickets in the first 6 overs. Then came the resistance from Harsh Thaker and Navneet Dhaliwal, Canada's repair-job experts. UAE found it difficult to get breakthroughs, but once Dhaliwal got run out, there was an opening for the bowling side. Junaid got a plethora of wickets at the death and ended up with a five-fer, but Thaker notched up a fifty and Dilon Heyliger's last-ball six took Canada to exactly 150 runs.

Canada's late slip-up - Canada didn't have the runs on the board but what they did have was a solid start with the ball in hand. They kept things tight and got a wicket early on. The spinners were brilliant through the middle phase and former skipper, Saad Bin Zafar, ran through the UAE middle order, picking up 3 wickets. With 56 needed off the last 4 overs, one would back the bowling side a bit more, but the Canadian pacers fumbled things big time. First, it was Dilon Heyliger, who got belted away in the 17th over and then Kaleem Sana, who had bowled brilliantly in the Powerplay, but couldn't come back and do the job in the crucial 19th over. A disappointing defeat for Canada, one that will hurt more as they were in with a big chance.

Player of the Match - Junaid Siddique (4-0-35-5) is handed the award for his fine bowling effort. Regarding the pitch, he says that it was good to bowl on. Adds that they had prepared before the match how they were going to bowl, but he was trying to hit the hard lengths more. Continues that he was also mixing up his quicker deliveries with slower one which certainly worked for him. Ends by saying that after the first inning got over, they were pretty confident that 150 was chasable.

UAE take the spoils - By no means was this a straightforward run chase, and the UAE have themselves to blame for it. There was a lack of intent in the first 3-4 overs and they also lost their talismanic skipper pretty early. They did manage to get 17 runs in the final over of the Powerplay, but couldn't build on it after the drinks break. UAE scored only 43 runs from overs 7 to 14 and lost 3 wickets as well but luckily for them, Aryansh Sharma was there from the start and stood up to the task. He struck a solid half-century, finishing unbeaten on 74 off 53 balls. But it was the carnage from Sohaib Khan that really turned the game on its head. 17 off the 17th over, 13 off the 18th over and then the hammer blow came in the 19th over when UAE amassed 18 runs to nearly close the doors. They managed to finish things off with just a couple of balls remaining, even though Sohaib got out on 51.

An 'Associate' classic - A fine game of cricket, but in the end, it is the United Arab Emirates who get their first win of this edition and get on the points board. Heartbreak for Canada, who managed the run chase really well for about 15 or so overs, but simply couldn't put the game to bed heading into the death overs.

UAE WIN BY 5 WICKETS! It is short and around off, and Arfan hangs back before smashing it over mid-wicket. The ball races away and the UAE players are already charging onto the field before it reaches the fence. In fact, it's a single as the batters complete the required run before that. The celebrations erupt, a fine turnaround sealed in style. Smiles all around in the UAE camp, while Canada are left stunned, wondering how this one slipped through their fingers.

The next batter is in. It is Muhammad Arfan.

OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, no! What have you done, Sohaib Khan? With just one needed for the win, Khan tries to finish things off in style and holes out. Banged in on a hard length and angled across off, Khan looks to pull the ball when the length is not quite there and is early into the shot as well. He miscues it over mid on where Nicholas Kirton backtracks and pouches it safely. 1 needed off 3 balls.

Full-length delivery, on middle, Aryansh Sharma tucks it through square leg and gets a single. SCORES ARE LEVEL!

SIX! Take a bow, Aryansh Sharma. He's fought hard all the way, right from the start and he has now taken his team to the brink of victory. Short of a length, over middle and leg, Sharma leans across to get inside the line and whacks the pull over deep square leg for a biggie. Just 2 needed now off 5 balls.

Final over is coming up. Just 8 needed off 6 balls, and Jaskarandeep Singh has the ball in hand. Can he pull off something miraculous?

FIFTY FOR SOHAIB KHAN! Everyone in the UAE dugout is on their feet to applaud this masterclass. This is much fuller, on middle. Sohaib Khan drives it downtown. The long-on fielder moves to his left and the batter gets a brace. He lifts his willow and soaks in the cheers. It really has been a game-changing knock from Khan. It is a fifty off just 28 balls, the fastest by an Associate player in this edition of the T20 World Cup, informs the on-air commentator. A knock full of intent, timing and fearless strokeplay. 8 needed off 6 balls.

FOUR! Unlucky again for the bowler but not good enough bowling given the field setting. Short ball around off, around head height. Sohaib Khan goes hard at the pull and gets a top edge that flies over the keeper's head and rolls away into the fence behind. Just 10 needed off 7 and UAE seem to have turned it around.

NO BALL! Oh my goodness. Kaleem Sana aims for a yorker here, but spills out a full toss, above the waist height, outside off. Sohaib Khan misses on his swat. Free-Hit coming up...

Full, on leg, Aryansh Sharma flicks it to deep square leg for one.

FOUR! Aryansh Sharma gets a bit lucky here! Kaleem Sana bends his back and offers a bouncer, outside off. Aryansh Sharma swings his blade to pull it away, but gets the top edge. The ball flies over the right of the keeper and bounces away to deep third for four runs. 16 needed off 9.