The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as it moves to Match 11 New Zealand takes over United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Chennai MA Chidambaram Stadium. New Zealand enter this competition high on confidence after a clinical 5-wicket win over Afghanistan. For UAE, this marks the first game of the tournament and they face the tough task of disrupting a Black Caps side perfectly balanced for Chennai’s spin conditions.
NZ vs UAE, T20 World Cup 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: February 10 (Tuesday); 15:00 IST / 9:30 GMT / 22:30 NZDT
- Location: MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), Chennai
Head-to-head Record (T20I):
Matches played: 3 | New Zealand Won: 2 | UAE won: 1
MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) Field Report
The Chepauk surface is traditionally a spin-bowling paradise, and the first games of the 2026 World Cup have reinforced that reputation. The pitch offers significant grip and spin for slow bowlers who will play straight into the hand Mitchell Santner and Job Sodhi. While the track has played slightly better for players averaging around 165-170 this season, the slow nature of the pitch makes it difficult to hit boundaries if the ball is soft. Given that it’s an afternoon start, the dew throw will be a less critical factor, although most skippers prefer to bat first and board runs before ground wheels.
Team dynamics and key players
New Zealand: led Mitchell SantnerKiwis are specially designed for subcontinental conditions. Tim Seifert The man in form, while coming off a string of high scores Glenn Phillips provides the necessary medium aggression. Their bowling is the biggest asset in this venue; Combined with Santner’s discipline Matt Henry’s his ability to hit effective cutters makes them incredibly difficult to score against.
United Arab Emirates: Under coach Lalchand Rajput, UAE has become a fearless unit. captain Muhammad Wasim is the lynchpin of their batting; his ability to dominate the Powerplay will be crucial. UAE will rely heavily on the leading speedster Junayd Siddiq for early achievers and young spinners Ayyan Afzal KhanHaving a history of troubling New Zealand batsmen (taking 3/20 in their 2023 win).
Groups
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (capt), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi
UAE: Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan, Simranjeet Singh.
NZ vs UAE, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- New Zealand go first in the toss
- New Zealand powerplay score: 45–55 (6 overs)
- New Zealand total score: 175–190
Case 2:
- UAE wins the toss first
- UAE powerplay score: 38–48 (6 overs)
- UAE total score: 135–150
Match Result: New Zealand will win the competition.
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 in Match 11 of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The contest will be held at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.){kind=link}