New Zealand crushed UAE by 10 wickets at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, maintaining their perfect World Cup start. Tim Seifert (89* off 42) and Finn Allen (84* off 50) created history with an unbroken 175-run opening partnership, the highest for any wicket in T20 World Cup history, chasing down 174 with 28 balls remaining.
Earlier, UAE posted their highest T20 World Cup total of 173/6, anchored by captain Muhammad Waseem’s unbeaten 66 and Alishan Sharafu’s 55. Their 107-run stand was the first century partnership by an Associate nation against a full-member team in T20 World Cups. New Zealand’s openers plundered 78 runs in the powerplay to seal victory emphatically.
Match Details
| Match Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Match | NZ vs UAE, 11th Match, Group D |
| Series | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Date | Tuesday, February 10, 2026 |
| Time | 3:00 PM Local, 9:30 AM GMT |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Toss | United Arab Emirates won and opted to bat |
| Result | New Zealand won by 10 wickets |
| Player of the Match | Tim Seifert |
First Innings Highlights
UAE posted 173/6, their highest T20 World Cup total. After losing opener Aryansh Sharma early to Jacob Duffy for 8, captain Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu launched a spirited counterattack with a magnificent 107-run partnership, the first century stand by an Associate team against a full-member nation in T20 World Cup history.
Sharafu’s elegant 55 off 47 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) and Waseem’s anchoring 66* off 45 balls propelled UAE to 50 in the powerplay. Mitchell Santner dismissed Sharafu in the 15th over, triggering a mini-collapse. Mayank Kumar’s explosive 21 off 13 balls revived the innings, including a brutal 27-run over off Glenn Phillips, the most expensive by New Zealand in T20 World Cup history. Matt Henry’s disciplined death bowling (2/37) restricted the damage.
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Muhammad Waseem (UAE) | 66* (45 balls, 4×4, 3×6, SR: 146.67) |
| Second Best Batsman | Alishan Sharafu (UAE) | 55 (47 balls, 5×4, 2×6, SR: 117.02) |
| Best Bowler | Mitchell Santner (NZ) | 4-0-23-1 (Economy: 5.80) |
| Second Best Bowler | Jacob Duffy (NZ) | 2-0-16-1 (Economy: 8.00) |
Second Innings Highlights
New Zealand’s openers produced a record-breaking masterclass, chasing down 174 without losing a wicket. Tim Seifert and Finn Allen’s unbroken 175-run partnership became the highest for any wicket in T20 World Cup history, surpassing the previous record of 170.
After weathering Haider Ali’s tight opening spell, the pair exploded, plundering 78 runs in the powerplay. Seifert raced to his fifty off just 23 balls, while Allen reached the milestone in 27 deliveries. The UAE bowlers had no answers as the openers targeted the shorter boundaries expertly.
Seifert’s breathtaking 89* off 42 balls (12 fours, 3 sixes, SR: 211.90) complemented Allen’s 84* off 50 balls perfectly. The emphatic chase, completed in 15.2 overs with 28 balls remaining, marked only the seventh 10-wicket victory in T20 World Cup history and the third-fastest successful 150-plus chase in the tournament.
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Tim Seifert (NZ) | 89* (42 balls, 12×4, 3×6, SR: 211.90) |
| Second Best Batsman | Finn Allen (NZ) | 84* (50 balls, 5×4, 5×6, SR: 168.00) |
| Best Bowler | Haider Ali (UAE) | 4-0-27-0 (Economy: 6.80) |
| Second Best Bowler | Dhruv Parashar (UAE) | 1-0-14-0 (Economy: 14.00) |
