AFG vs UAE, T20 World Cup 2026: Pitch Report, Playing 11, Head To Head & More

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 continues today with another exciting group stage match. Match 28 is AFG vs UAE and will be held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Each of these two teams will play for two critical SR8 qualification points. Afghanistan looks to regain their momentum after back-to-back losses while the UAE want to build upon their excellent win over Canada in the last match.

AFG vs UAE Match Details

Match: Afghanistan vs United Arab Emirates, Match 28

Date: Monday, February 16, 2026

Time: 11:00 AM (IST)

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium

Live Broadcast: JioStar Network Channels

Live Streaming: JioHotstar (App & Website)

This AFG vs UAE fixture could significantly impact the Group standings.

AFG vs UAE: Team Form and Tournament Scenario

Afghanistan – Searching for Momentum

Afghanistan’s difficulties are stacking up in their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with:

Defeats to the New Zealand National Team

Heartbreaking Super Over losses against the South African National Team (both of these games going to double super overs). Two straight losses have put Afghanistan under a ton of pressure and a loss to the UAE in this AFG v UAE matchup could ruin their chances at qualification.

United Arab Emirates – Eyeing Super Eight Qualification

Following a win against the Canadian team, the United Arab Emirates has a lot of confidence right now. They are currently in third place in the current standings. If they can defeat the Afghan team today, the United Arab Emirates will improve their chances at qualifying for the next round.

Arun Jaitley Stadium Pitch Report

Bowlers are likely to get assistance from the playing surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, while batting has been difficult in this venue in recent matches. The bowlers appear to be able to generate good movement and also to get a good grip. The teams (batters) could find it easier to bat under pressure with a team that can chase.

In this AFG vs UAE match, it is likely that the players who make proper use of their bowling and batting partnerships will be the successful players.

AFG vs UAE Head-to-Head Record in T20Is

Matches Played: 14

Afghanistan Wins: 11

UAE Wins: 3

Tied/No Result: 0

First Meeting: July 10, 2015

Last Meeting: September 05, 2025

Historically, Afghanistan have dominated the AFG vs UAE rivalry in T20 internationals.

AFG vs UAE Predicted Playing XIs

Afghanistan Probable XI

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)

Ibrahim Zadran

Gulbadin Naib

Sediqullah Atal

Darwish Rasooli

Azmatullah Omarzai

Mohammad Nabi

Rashid Khan (c)

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Noor Ahmad

Fazalhaq Farooqi

UAE Probable XI

Aryansh Sharma (wk)

Muhammad Waseem (c)

Alishan Sharafu

Mayank Kumar

Sohaib Khan

Harshit Kaushik

Muhammad Arfan

Muhammad Farooq

Haider Ali

Junaid Siddique

Muhammad Jawadullah

Team combinations and middle-order stability will play a decisive role in this AFG vs UAE battle.

AFG vs UAE Probable Best Performers

Best Batter Prediction: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan)

So far, the most successful player for Afghanistan has been Rahmanullah Gurbaz. In his first two games, the explosive right-handed batsman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, has scored 111 runs. He’s a very important part of the batting line-up and provides the team with a good opening partner. If Afghanistan is going to come out on top against the U.A.E., Gurbaz must set the stage for the batting order.

Best Bowler Prediction: Junaid Siddique (UAE)

The four overs Junaid Siddique is likely to play against UAE could end up being the most important part of this match, as there is a good chance he will take wickets early and keep his wickets (and runs) under control through the powerplay. Given that the pitch in Delhi is generally very good for fast bowling, Siddique may hold the key to the outcome of AFG versus UAE.

AFG vs UAE Match Prediction – Who Will Win?

According to their head-to-head record, team depth and experience within T20 format will make Afghanistan a slight favourite going into the AFG vs UAE match due to recent struggles from both sides

The UAE squad has gained momentum in recent games so it would not be unreasonable to define an upset possibility if they get wickets with early successes through pressure applied by their bowling attack putting them on track to win.

Prediction: Afghanistan hold a narrow edge due to superior experience and spin attack strength, but expect a competitive contest at Delhi.

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