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A day before UAE's ICC Men's T20 World Cup fixture against New Zealand, Emirates Cricket Board have sent batter Muhammad Zohaib back home for "disciplinary reasons".
UAE are set to face New Zealand in Chennai for their first World Cup game since 2022 on Tuesday, as ESPNcricinfo reported. The UAE's top-order batter loss puts pressure on their lineup, which was recently bowled out for 81 against Italy on Friday. Zohaib, who batted at No. 9 in that game, had previously scored 19 off 26 balls at No. 3 against Nepal. The team has settled on 21-year-old Aryansh Sharma to partner with captain Muhammad Waseem at the top. Zohaib made his debut for UAE in May 2025. He's played 16 T20Is and scored 303 runs at an average of 20.20 and a strike rate of 103.76. UAE captain Muhammad Waseem, ahead of this side's T20 WC clash against New Zealand, highlighted his team's unity and preparation, emphasising their diverse squad, which includes players of Indian and Pakistani origin. Waseem said the team would draw confidence from their previous T20I win over New Zealand in Dubai (2023), showcasing their potential. "Our strategy is very simple. We beat them before in UAE but this time it's a different venue, different tournament, different ground, and different game also. So we came with another plan right now. So yes, they are a good team and have experience also. But we work very well, and we have prepared ourselves like a champion team. We will try to play good cricket against them tomorrow," Waseem said. (ANI)
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