Sohaib Khan’s explosive 51 off 29 balls and Aryansh Sharma’s anchoring 67* off 51 powered UAE to a thrilling 5-wicket victory over Canada at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
After Canada won the toss and chose to bat, they posted a competitive 150/7, built around Harsh Thaker’s composed 50 off 41 balls and a crucial 58-run partnership with Navneet Dhaliwal (34 off 28). Junaid Siddique starred with the ball, claiming a sensational 5/35 – the best bowling figures by an Associate bowler in T20 World Cup history.
UAE’s chase started disastrously as they slumped to 66/4 with captain Muhammad Waseem falling for just 4. However, a match-winning 77-run partnership between Sharma and Sohaib turned the tide completely.
Sohaib’s counter-attacking knock featuring 4 fours and 4 sixes proved decisive as UAE overhauled the target with just 2 balls remaining, though Sohaib fell with scores level, leaving Aryansh to finish the job.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Canada vs UAE, T20 World Cup, Group D |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| Result | UAE won by 5 wickets |
| Canada | 150/7 (20 overs) |
| UAE | 151/5 (19.4 overs) |
| Player of the Match | Junaid Siddique (5/35) |
| Toss | Canada won and chose to bat |
First Innings Highlights
Canada’s innings began disastrously as they lost three wickets inside the powerplay. Dilpreet Bajwa (11 off 11 balls with 2 fours) was caught at mid-off trying to clear the field off Junaid Siddique.
Yuvraj Samra (5) fell to the very next ball, leaving Siddique on a hat-trick. Nicholas Kirton (4) became Muhammad Jawadullah’s first victim as Canada stumbled to 39/3. The rebuilding effort came from Harsh Thaker and Navneet Dhaliwal, who stitched together a crucial 58-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Both batsmen showed composure, with Dhaliwal striking 4 boundaries in his 28-ball 34 before being run out in unlucky fashion when his bat got stuck just outside the crease.
Thaker battled on to reach his fifty off 41 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes) but was dismissed immediately after, caught at cover off Junaid Siddique. Shreyas Movva (21 off 21 with 2 fours) provided late resistance as Canada finished with 150/7. Junaid Siddique’s magnificent 5/35 was the standout performance.
First Innings Best Performers
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Harsh Thaker | 50 runs (41 balls, 2×4, 3×6) |
| Best Bowler | Junaid Siddique | 4-0-35-5 |
Second Innings Highlights
UAE’s chase began tentatively and quickly turned into a crisis. Kaleem Sana dismissed captain Muhammad Waseem for just 4, caught at mid-on. Alishan Sharafu (5 off 13 balls) struggled for timing before falling to Saad Bin Zafar, caught at cover. Mayank Kumar (4) holed out to long-on off Saad as UAE slipped to 61/2.
When Harshit Kaushik (5 off 9) became Saad’s third victim at 68/4, the chase appeared to be slipping away. However, Aryansh Sharma held firm at one end while Sohaib Khan launched a breathtaking counterattack from the other. Sohaib smashed 51 off just 29 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes, including three consecutive sixes in the 17th over bowled by Dilon Heyliger.
Their 77-run partnership for the fifth wicket completely turned the match. Sohaib was caught at mid-on with scores level in the penultimate over, but Aryansh Sharma (67* off 51 balls) finished the job with a six off Jaskaran Singh, sealing a dramatic victory with 2 balls to spare. Saad Bin Zafar’s excellent spell of 3/14 went in vain.
Second Innings Best Performers
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Aryansh Sharma | 67* runs (51 balls) |
| Best Bowler | Saad Bin Zafar | 4-0-14-3 |
