![UAE squad for T20 World Cup 2026 announced [Source: @EmiratesCricket/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1769776303056_UAE.jpg?type=hq)
UAE squad for T20 World Cup 2026 announced [Source: @EmiratesCricket/x]
UAE Cricket has unveiled UAE’s 15-player squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka next month. Senior opener Muhammad Waseem will continue to lead the national team as UAE returns to the T20 World Cup lore after missing the 2024 edition of the tournament in the West Indies a couple of years ago.
The UAE Cricket announced the squad just a day ahead of UAE’s series-deciding second T20I match against the visiting Ireland team in Dubai.
UAE retain three players from previous T20 World Cup squad
On Friday, January 30, i.e., roughly a week prior to the launch of the 2026 T20 World Cup, UAE Cricket unveiled its 15-player squad to become one of the final teams of the competition to do so. It is worth noting that as of now, only Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has not announced Sri Lanka’s squad despite naming their provisional group a month ago.
Nonetheless, prolific top-order batter Muhammad Waseem will continue to lead the UAE team. The selection committee also selected two other players, namely Alishan Sharafu and Junaid Siddique, who represented the nation during their previous T20 World Cup assignment back in late-2022 in Australia.
Aryansh Sharma will start out as the primary wicketkeeping choice for the UAE team. The squad also features several star attractions like Haider Ali and fast bowler Muhammad Jawadullah. Here is a look at the entire UAE squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
UAE T20 World Cup squad 2026: Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan and Simranjeet Singh.
UAE braces for T20 World Cup return after missing 2024
The UAE cricket team qualified for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after finishing third at the 2025 Men's T20 World Cup Asia–EAP Regional Final in Oman last year. Under the leadership of Muhammad Waseem, UAE secured two wins in two Group A games, before finishing third on the Super Six stage behind Nepal and Oman.
The upcoming T20 World Cup appearance marks UAE’s first since the 2022 edition of the tournament, and only their third overall.
The UAE team is placed in Group D of the 2026 T20 World Cup alongside Afghanistan, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. Their first match of the tournament will be played against New Zealand on February 10 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
UAE to face Ireland in must-win T20I
In the meantime, the UAE team is gearing up to face the visiting Irishmen in the second T20I of their two-match series. The match will be hosted by the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on January 31 and the action will commence from 11:30 IST onwards.
The impending series-decider marks a must-win one for both sides in their road towards the 2026 T20 World Cup.
