UAE will face New Zealand in their first match of the Tournament. The BlackCaps are fresh off their opening win against Afghanistan, and will look to make it back-to-back. This will be a tough game for UAE, as the black caps are one of the strongest teams in world cricket.
The schedule is a classic “David vs. Goliath” contest. However, this is a great opportunity for the UAE to showcase their progress on the international stage and attempt one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
Match Venue and Time
The match will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, which is known for its playing environment and average first overs of 150–170. As this is an afternoon game, the pitch is expected to stay good throughout.
- Match Start: 3:00 PM IST (1:30 PM Dubai Time)
- Launch: 2:30 PM IST (1:00 PM Dubai Time)
The weather in Chennai is predicted to be hot, with temperatures around 34°C, moderate cloud cover, and winds at a speed of 41 km/h.
New Zealand Expected XI
New Zealand are likely to field a solid line-up, balancing explosive batting with quality pace and spin options:
- Get Allen
- Tim Seifert (wiki)
- Rachin Ravindra
- Glenn Phillips
- Daryl Mitchell
- Mark Chapman
- Michael Bracewell/Jimmy Neesham
- Mitchell Santner (c)
- Matt Henry
- Lockie Ferguson
- Jacob Duffy
UAE Expected XI
UAE will rely on their captain Muhammad Waseem and a mix of talented youngsters and some experienced campaigners:
- Aryansh Sharma (wiki)
- Muhammad Waseem (c)
- Muhammad Zohaib
- Alishan Sharafu
- Harshit Kaushik
- Mayank Kumar
- Dhruv Parashar
- Muhammad Arfan
- Haider Ali
- Junaid Siddique
- Muhammad Jawadullah
UAE vs New Zealand: Head to Head
UAE and New Zealand have not played many matches together. However, in 2023, the two teams went against each other in a series. In the 3-match T20 series, UAE won one match, so they have the potential to turn things around.
How to Watch
Fans can catch the event live on Star Sports Network, Jio Hotstar app, Willow , Skysports and Supersports.com.
You can also listen to live commentary for free ICC-cricket.com.
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