Momentum after Afghanistan win
The Kiwis earned two crucial points after overcoming a tricky Afghanistan side by five wickets on Sunday. That win has put them in a strong position, and they will now look to make the most of an outing against relatively less-fancied UAE opposition.
Batting depth on display
The victory against Afghanistan highlighted the value of New Zealand’s experienced and deep batting order. After slipping to 14 for two while chasing 183 on a slow pitch, the side recovered with composure to get over the line.
Focus on Allen and Ravindra
Despite the win, the Mitchell Santner-led unit will be keen for bigger contributions from openers Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra. Both were undone by Mujeeb ur Rahman’s spin in the previous match, but the UAE attack does not pose the same level of threat, offering an opportunity for the duo to regain form ahead of tougher tests.
Phillips’ maturity stands out
One of the biggest positives from the Afghanistan game was Glenn Phillips’ measured approach. Instead of resorting to early aggression, Phillips assessed the conditions and bowlers before accelerating, showing growth in his game.
“Glenn’s world class. His experience in this country, he’s had a lot of success in the last few weeks here playing against a very strong India side. I’ve got high hopes for him for the rest of the tournament,” his teammate Lockie Ferguson had said after the match against the Afghans.
Bowlers adapt smartly
New Zealand’s bowlers also impressed with their adaptability, using variations effectively on a surface that offered some assistance to keep Afghanistan’s powerful batting line-up in check.
UAE no pushovers
While New Zealand may start as favourites, they will be cautious of complacency, especially after associate nations like USA, Nepal and Netherlands have pushed stronger teams in the tournament. The UAE have experienced players in skipper Mohammad Waseem, big-hitter Alishan Sharafu and seasoned pacer Junaid Siddique.
Waseem’s milestone
Waseem recently crossed 3000 T20I runs in just 84 innings, becoming only the third-fastest to reach the landmark behind Virat Kohli and Babar Azam.
Valuable experience for UAE
Regardless of the expected outcome, the UAE players will cherish the chance to compete against a legacy side like New Zealand, with the experience likely to be their biggest takeaway from the contest.
Teams (from):
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), 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 (c), 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.
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