New Zealand will take on the United Arab Emirates in a T20 World Cup Group D match on February 10, 2026, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This match is the 11th game of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which began on February 7.
For New Zealand, this is their second match of the tournament after a strong opening win against Afghanistan on February 8. Mitchell Santner’s men are looking to build momentum early in a tough Group D that also includes South Africa, Canada, and Afghanistan. For the UAE, this is their campaign opener and a chance to make a statement against a top-tier opponent. Captain Muhammad Waseem leads a side eager to prove they belong on the world stage.
New Zealand vs UAE Match Preview
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai will host this Group D fixture. The game starts at 11:00 AM IST.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | New Zealand vs UAE, T20 World Cup Group D |
| Date | 10 February 2026 |
| Time | 11:00 AM IST / 5:30 AM GMT |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Series | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
Pitch Report
The MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch is known for its spin-friendly nature. The red-soil surface offers good bounce early on, making it comfortable for batters to play their shots. As the match progresses, the pitch slows down and offers grip and turn for spinners. Fast bowlers can extract movement with the new ball during the morning session. The middle overs are often taken by slow bowlers who can exploit the dry conditions. The average first innings score in T20s here is around 160-165. Teams batting first should aim for 170-plus to stay competitive.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Spin-friendly with early pace and bounce |
| Average 1st Innings Score | Around 160-165 in T20 conditions |
| Pace vs Spin | Pacers are effective early, spinners dominate the middle, and death overs |
| Toss Factor | Teams batting first have a slight advantage in day games |
Weather Report
Chennai in early February stays warm and humid. The morning temperature should hover around 29-30°C at match time. The sky is expected to remain clear with no rain predicted. Humidity levels may reach 50-60%, typical of Chennai’s tropical climate. Wind will be light at around 6-8 km/h. Since this is a day game starting at 11 AM, dew will not be a factor.
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Around 29-30°C at match time |
| Sky | Clear to partly cloudy |
| Rain Chance | Very low |
| Humidity | Around 50 to 60% |
| Overall | Warm and humid, ideal conditions for a full match without dew |
Toss Prediction
The MA Chidambaram Stadium in day games tends to favor the team batting first. The pitch offers good value early before slowing down in the second half. Without dew to worry about in a morning match, defending totals becomes easier.
Spinners get more help as the pitch dries out under the Chennai sun. Captains winning the toss are likely to bat first and put runs on the board. Expect the toss-winning captain to choose to bat first.
Injury Updates
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner’s squad has a few injury concerns to manage. Michael Bracewell is nursing a calf injury and may not feature if he fails to recover in time. If Bracewell misses out, seam-bowling allrounder Jimmy Neesham will retain his spot. Finn Allen has been cleared to bat despite a shoulder niggle but has restricted throwing ability in the field. He was spotted fielding at short fine leg during the Afghanistan game and used only underarm throws. Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry are fit and available after recovering from respective calf injuries.
UAE: No major injury concerns have been reported in the UAE camp.
Dream11 Team For New Zealand vs UAE
New Zealand vs UAE Head-to-Head Records In T20Is
New Zealand and the UAE have met three times in T20I cricket. All three matches came during the UAE vs New Zealand bilateral series in Dubai in August 2023. New Zealand won the series 2-1. The Black Caps took the first match by 19 runs, but the UAE bounced back with a 7-wicket win in the second game. New Zealand sealed the series with a 32-run victory in the decider. This will be their first meeting at a T20 World Cup.
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| NZ vs UAE T20I Matches | 3 |
| New Zealand Wins | 2 |
| UAE Wins | 1 |
| Last Result | New Zealand won by 32 runs (Dubai, Aug 2023) |
| Context | First T20 World Cup meeting between these nations |
New Zealand vs UAE – T20I Series Results (August 2023)
- 1st T20I: New Zealand won by 19 runs – Dubai – 17 Aug 2023
- 2nd T20I: UAE won by 7 wickets – Dubai – 19 Aug 2023
- 3rd T20I: New Zealand won by 32 runs – Dubai – 20 Aug 2023
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Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Team | Role | Key Points |
| Glenn Phillips | NZ | Batter/Bowler | Explosive middle-order batter, part-time leg-spinner, scored 40 off 18 in the warm-up against the USA |
| Muhammad Waseem | UAE | Batter/Captain | UAE captain, 190 T20I sixes in 93 innings, just 16 away from Rohit Sharma’s all-time record |
| Tim Seifert | NZ | Batter/WK | In-form wicketkeeper-batter, scored 66 off 31 in the warm-up game, three sixes away from 100 T20I sixes |
| Mitchell Santner | NZ | Allrounder/Captain | New Zealand captain, left-arm spinner with 130 T20I wickets, experienced in Indian conditions |
| Jacob Duffy | NZ | Bowler | World No. 2-ranked T20I bowler, has taken 23 powerplay wickets since the last T20 World Cup |
| Alishan Sharafu | UAE | Batter | Explosive middle-order option, ILT20 experience, can float in the batting order |
| Haider Ali | UAE | Bowler | Left-arm spinner with an economy rate of 5.93 in powerplay during ILT20, accurate in early overs |
| Lockie Ferguson | NZ | Bowler | Express pace bowler, ILT20 experience with Desert Vipers, familiar with UAE players |
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