Afghanistan face UAE in a crucial Group D encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on February 16, 2026. The 2024 semi-finalists desperately need a win after suffering two heartbreaking defeats. Rashid Khan leads a spin-heavy Afghan attack, now just one wicket away from becoming the first bowler to reach 700 T20 wickets. Rahmanullah Gurbaz remains in sensational form with 111 runs in the tournament.
UAE arrives with renewed confidence after defeating Canada in their previous outing. Captain Muhammad Waseem, who has smashed 193 sixes in T20I cricket, will look to cause another upset alongside pacer Junaid Siddique, who claimed five wickets in the last match.
Afghanistan vs UAE Match Preview
This Group D clash is a knockout game for both teams. Afghanistan must win to keep their Super Eight hopes alive after losses to New Zealand and South Africa. UAE will next play South Africa on February 20 in Ahmedabad, while Afghanistan faces Canada on February 19 in Chennai.
AFG vs UAE 28th Match Details
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | Afghanistan vs UAE, T20 World Cup 28th Match |
| Date | 16 February 2026 |
| Time | 11:00 AM IST / 5:30 AM GMT |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| Series | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Context | Must-win Group D match for both teams |
Pitch Report
The Arun Jaitley Stadium offers a balanced surface that helps both batters and bowlers. The pitch is made from dry soil with short boundaries that make six-hitting easier. Fast bowlers can extract early movement in the first few overs when moisture is present.
The surface starts favorably for batting with consistent bounce. Spinners find grip as the match progresses, especially during the middle overs. Day games often see teams prefer bowling first to use the early moisture. Dew becomes a factor in evening matches, but this match starts at 11 AM, so dew will not impact play. Batters can score freely once they settle, with the average first innings score around 149 in T20Is.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Balanced surface, early moisture |
| Average 1st Innings Score | Around 149 in T20Is |
| Pace vs Spin | Pace gets early help, spin gains grip later |
| Toss Factor | Bowling is first preferred for day games |
| Boundary Size | Short boundaries (60-65 meters) |
Weather Report
Delhi in February offers pleasant conditions for cricket. The weather on match day will be sunny with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C. During the day match, temperatures will hover around 23-25°C. Expect bright skies with no rain forecast. Humidity levels will be moderate, around 40-45%. The conditions will be perfect for an uninterrupted match.
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 15-25°C (23-25°C during match) |
| Sky | Sunny, clear |
| Rain Chance | None |
| Humidity | 40-45% |
| Overall | Ideal conditions for cricket |
Toss Prediction
The captain winning the toss at Arun Jaitley Stadium will likely choose to bowl first. Day matches at this venue favor the team that bowls first due to early moisture on the pitch. The surface offers some assistance to pacers with the new ball. Teams chasing have won two of the three matches played here in this tournament. Expect the toss winner to bowl first and capitalize on the conditions.
Injury Updates
Afghanistan: No Injury Concern
UAE: No Injury Concern.
Dream11 Team For Afghanistan vs UAE
Afghanistan vs UAE Head-to-Head Records in T20Is
Afghanistan and the UAE have met 15 times in T20I cricket. Afghanistan leads the head-to-head record with 13 wins, while the UAE has won just two matches. The last meeting between these teams was in September 2025, where Afghanistan won by 38 runs in the UAE T20I Tri-Series. This will be their first encounter in a T20 World Cup match.
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total T20I Matches | 15 |
| Afghanistan Wins | 13 |
| UAE Wins | 2 |
| No Result | 0 |
Last Five T20I Meetings
- Afghanistan won by 4 runs 05-Sep-2025
- Afghanistan won by 38 runs 01-Sep-2025
- Afghanistan won by 4 wickets (with 9 balls remaining) 02-Jan-2024
- U.A.E. won by 11 runs 31-Dec-2023
- Afghanistan won by 72 runs 29-Dec-2023
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Top Picks for the match
| Player | Team | Role | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | AFG | Opener | 111 runs in the tournament, explosive striker, 84 off 42 vs SA |
| Ibrahim Zadran | AFG | Opener | Reliable anchor, vice-captain, needs to find form |
| Mohammad Nabi | AFG | All-rounder | Experienced finisher, crucial in tight situations |
| Muhammad Waseem | UAE | Batter | Captain, 193 T20I sixes, second only to Rohit Sharma |
| Aryansh Sharma | UAE | Batter | Match-winning 74* vs Canada, opens the batting |
| Sohaib Khan | UAE | All-rounder | 51 off 29 vs Canada, can change the game quickly |
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