New Zealand vs United Arab Emirates | Match Preview
New Zealand will take on the United Arab Emirates in their second Group D game in the T20 World Cup 2026 in Chennai on Tuesday. Though the result appears pretty straightforward on paper, neither side can afford any slip ups here as the standings are at stake in the group of death.
For New Zealand, this is a game they simply have to win. For the minnows, it represents a rare shot at testing themselves against a genuinely strong opposition.
Form Guide
New Zealand has been blowing hot and cold lately. There were games where the top order got off to rapid starts, only for the team to let things drift after the 10th over. That kind of inconsistency has cost them points in tight situations.
Meanwhile, the UAE kicked off their recent run with a couple of solid wins over teams at a similar level. After that, though, things fell apart. Three losses in a row exposed their inability to sustain pressure against better-organized sides, particularly when it came to building momentum in the final overs.
New Zealand: L L W L W
United Arab Emirates: W W L L L
New Zealand vs United Arab Emirates Head-to-Head
These two have crossed paths three times in T20 cricket over recent years.
New Zealand looked the more complete side in most of those encounters, controlling the tempo and managing their innings better overall. The UAE did pull off one win, largely off the back of an explosive start and a high-scoring rate early on. In the remaining two matches, however, they couldn't sustain that intensity across the entire 20 overs.
New Zealand 2-1 United Arab Emirates
Pitch and Weather
The venue is the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This ground has a reputation for helping bowlers, especially as the innings wears on. Early on, conditions tend to be more batting-friendly, giving openers a window to settle in and put runs on the board without too much trouble.
Weather-wise, it will be a hot and dry day with zero chance of rain. Expect temperatures to be somewhere around 28 to 30 degrees Celsius.
Winning the toss and batting first seems like the smart play here. The surface will be at its flattest in the first half of the match, and defending a total by leaning on spin and disciplined bowling through the middle overs looks like a solid game plan.
Team News
No major injury concerns heading into this one. Both squads look set to go with their expected lineups. New Zealand stick with a well-balanced setup, offering depth in both batting and bowling. The UAE continue to rely on stability at the top of the order and a solid defensive approach.
New Zealand (Probable XI): Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy
United Arab Emirates (Probable XI): Aryansh Sharma (wk), Muhammad Waseem (c), Muhammad Zohaib, Alishan Sharafu, Harshit Kaushik, Mayank Kumar, Dhruv Parashar, Muhammad Arfan, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah
Broadcasting Platforms
The NZ vs UAE T20 World Cup 2026 match will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website from 3:00 PM IST in India on Tuesday. The contest will also be telecast live on the Star Sports Network.
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