T20 WC: Hunting for first win, Canada and UAE clash with backs against the wall (Preview)
New Delhi, Feb 12
When Canada and the United Arab Emirates take the field at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Friday afternoon, the aim for both sides will be very simple -- get a win under their belt. Both teams find themselves winless in Group D, and a win will help them get off the mark in the points table.
Canada, smarting from a 57-run hammering at the hands of South Africa, occupies the bottom spot with a net run rate of -2.850. UAE, despite a spirited batting display against New Zealand that yielded their highest-ever T20 World Cup total of 173, sits one rung above them at -2.763 after the Blackcaps cantered to a 10-wicket victory.
Canada's baptism by fire against South Africa laid bare the chasm between them and the Proteas. Their pacers returned wicketless with an overall economy rate of 11.1 in Ahmedabad. In contrast, the spinners offered some respectability, with left-arm wrist-spinner Ansh Patel, who previously played for Baroda in the Indian domestic cricket ecosystem, emerging as the solitary bright spot by picking three wickets.
Patel's three-wicket haul -- the first such instance recorded by a Canadian bowler in T20 World Cups and his best figures in a young international career - suggested that Canada might find more joy exploiting the traditionally spin-friendly conditions in New Delhi.
With the bat, Navneet Dhaliwal's 49-ball 64 was a lone hand in a chase that never truly ignited. The experienced campaigner, now Canada's leading run-scorer in World Cup history with 135 runs, will need support from the middle order if they are to post or chase competitive totals.
Meanwhile, the UAE's batting performance against New Zealand showcased both ambition and execution, with Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu's 107-run partnership making for an absolute treat. Both registered fantastic fifties - the first time two UAE batters achieved this feat in a T20 World Cup.
But the gains made from batting were squandered by the bowling unit, as Blackcaps openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen hit them to all parts of Chepauk. UAE became only the third team in the history of the T20 World Cup to bowl an entire innings without claiming a wicket, as all bowlers, barring Haider Ali, went for more than 10 runs per over.
Such generosity cannot be repeated if they harbour ambitions of progressing beyond the group stage. The head-to-head record favours the UAE, who won the only previous T20I encounter against Canada. Neither side has previously played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, removing any advantage of local knowledge, though Canada had practised at the venue, albeit at night.
For Canada, the challenge will be in arresting the momentum of the UAE's big-hitting top order while hoping their own batting line-up can find the consistency that eluded them against South Africa.
For the UAE, who are also dealing with Muhammad Zohaib being withdrawn from the squad due to player mental well-being and team welfare issues, with Haider Shah joining as a replacement, the bowling unit must discover both discipline and penetration if they are to get off the mark in Group D.
When: Friday, February 13, 3:00 PM IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Where to watch: Star Sports Network for live TV broadcast and JioHotstar for live streaming
Squads:
Canada: Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Ajayveer Hundal, Ansh Patel, Dilon Heyliger, Harsh Thaker, Jaskarandeep Singh, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Ravinderpal Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Shreyas Movva, and Yuvraj Samra
UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Haider Shah, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan, and Simranjeet Singh
— IANS
Reader Comments
Respect to both teams for competing at this level. The pressure to get that first win must be immense. I feel for UAE, scoring 173 and still losing by 10 wickets... their bowling really let them down. Hope it's a good contest in Delhi!
As an Indian cricket fan, I love seeing players like Ansh Patel who have roots in our domestic system do well on the world stage. It shows the depth of talent here. Navneet Dhaliwal is a proper fighter too. May the best team win! 🤝
The article mentions UAE's player being withdrawn for mental well-being. This is so important and it's good to see teams prioritizing it. The pressure on these associate nations is huge. On the cricket front, UAE's batting firepower might be too much for Canada's struggling attack.
Match at 3 PM in Delhi in February? Perfect weather for cricket! The pitch at Arun Jaitley stadium should be a belter. I think it will come down to which bowling unit has a slightly better day. My money is on UAE, they seem to have more match-winners with the bat.
While I appreciate the preview, I wish the analysis went a bit deeper into the specific match-ups. For instance, how will Canada's spinners fare against Waseem? That's the key battle. Still, looking forward to watching on Hotstar. Good luck to both!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.