🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup : M 11: NZ vs UAE at Chennai🏏 - Page 2

The UAE’s build-up to this World Cup has been far from ideal. They missed out on the 2024 edition and arrive here with a largely revamped squad, with only three players remaining from their 2022 campaign. The inexperience has reflected in the results. They scraped through the Asian Qualifiers, finishing behind Nepal and Oman, doing just enough to make it to this year’s event. There wasn’t much respite thereafter. UAE failed to leave a mark in the Asia Cup and the Asia Cup Rising Stars, managing just one win across six games. A short home series against Ireland in Dubai didn’t help matters either, with two heavy defeats, and the warm-up games before the tournament followed a similar pattern - losses to Nepal and Italy. Confidence is understandably low as they come up against a well-settled New Zealand side. If there is a silver lining, it lies in the surface at Chepauk. The slower conditions could suit their style of bowling, and they’ll need that assistance if they are to stay in the contest. Toss and teams coming up..

Placed in the so-called Group of Death, New Zealand will be wary of taking unfamiliar opponents UAE lightly when the two sides lock horns at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday. The minnows have caused quite a stir in the opening days of the T20 World Cup, with former champions Pakistan, India, England and the West Indies all surviving scares over the past few days..

Adding to New Zealand’s caution is the memory of a T20I defeat to the UAE in 2023, with several members of the current Black Caps squad part of that upset.

This will be New Zealand’s second match of the tournament. After their campaign was derailed by Afghanistan two years ago, Mitchell Santner’s men turned the tables when the sides met in their Group D opener earlier this week.

How have UAE fared against Full Member nations in T20Is

New Zealand vs U.A.E. T20 World Cup Live Score: The UAE have played 46 T20I matches against Full Member nations over the last 12 years, winning 13, the last of which came against Bangladesh in Sharjah last May. They have been most successful against Ireland, securing seven wins in 13 matches, and against Bangladesh, two wins in four games.

Have UAE faced New Zealand before?

New Zealand vs U.A.E. T20 World Cup Live Score: The UAE faced New Zealand three times in T20Is during a limited-overs series in August 2023, and they managed to secure a win against them. All the matches were played in Dubai.

1st T20I, Aug 17, 2023 - lost by 19 runs

2nd T20I, Aug 19, 2023 - won by 7 wickets

3rd T20I, Aug 20, 2023: lost by 32 runs

Did you know?

New Zealand vs U.A.E. T20 World Cup Live Score: Only 12 batters in the world have more than 3000 runs in T20 internationals. UAE captain Muhammad Waseem, the most experienced campaigner in the squad, is part of that elite list. He stands in the ninth position, with 3236 runs in 93 appearances, and is only 42 runs away from surpassing David Warner to take the eighth spot.

How did UAE qualify for the tournament?

New Zealand vs U.A.E. T20 World Cup Live Score: UAE qualified as the third-placed side, behind Nepal and Oman, from the Asia-Pacific Regional qualifiers event. They beat Qatar and Malaysia in the group stage before finishing third in the Super Six round, where they won three of five games. They lost to Nepal by just one run, to Oman by five wickets.

What happened in Group D so far

New Zealand vs U.A.E. T20 World Cup Live Score: Four of the five teams have played at least one match in the tournament, with only New Zealand and South Africa having secured a win. The Proteas, the 2024 runners-up, beat Canada by eight wickets on Monday to stand at the top of the table.

UAE has once defeated NZ in T20i

Thanks for the tag Soni.

May the best team win.

Cheers..

Mitchell Santner: It looks like a good wicket, we were thinking of batting as well. Same team, similar make up as the other day. That was the first time I saw some grass on a wicket in Chennai. I guess these days you have to watch a lot of vidoes, lot of franchise cricket, yesterday was all about that. They are a good team as we know, they rely on a few players but the squad is really good and can make it tricky for us.

Muhammad Waseem: We are going to bat first because the pitch is looking good, it will be the same for both the innings. We will try and put up a good total on the board. It is a difficult for us, but we are going with a good combaination and spinners. We also want to show the world how we play T20 and the abilities the boys have. It is a tough group but we are ready for that challenge. We have come here with a different mindset and plan, we will go game by game. The confidence is good, but different venue and different tournament, so I will try my best and try to lead the team from the front.

United Arab Emirates have won the toss and have opted to bat