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UAE Stuns Japan to Claim Final T20 World Cup Spot in Dramatic Qualifier

The UAE secured their place in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 with a convincing eight-wicket win over Japan. This victory completes the 20-team lineup for the global tournament scheduled for 2026. Japan struggled with the bat, managing only 116 runs despite a late fightback from Wataru Miyauchi. The UAE's openers then comfortably chased down the target with 47 balls to spare, sealing their World Cup qualification.

Key Points: UAE Beats Japan to Secure ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Qualification

  • UAE joins Nepal and Oman as Asia/EAP regional qualifiers for 2026 tournament
  • Japan restricted to 116/9 despite Miyauchi's unbeaten 45-run effort
  • Openers Sharafu and Waseem built 70-run partnership to set up comfortable chase
  • Haider Ali and Muhammad Arfan shared five wickets to dismantle Japan's batting lineup
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UAE beat Japan to capture final spot in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026

UAE clinches final T20 World Cup 2026 spot with emphatic 8-wicket victory over Japan in Oman qualifier, joining Nepal and Oman as regional qualifiers.

"The 20 teams for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 are now finalised - ICC"

Muscat, October 16

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) secured their place in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 after an emphatic, eight-wicket victory over Japan in its Super Six clash at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Asia/East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Qualifier in Oman on Thursday.

Muhammad Waseem and his charges join Nepal and Oman as the three qualifiers of the regional qualification competition, with guaranteed top-three finishes before the tournament's scheduled conclusion on Friday, according to the ICC.

The 20 teams for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 are now finalised. They are as follows: India (tournament host), Sri Lanka (tournament host), Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, Ireland, Italy, Namibia, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa, the UAE, the USA, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe.

The UAE eliminated hopefuls, Japan, Samoa and Qatar from contention, who were still in with a mathematical chance.

In the match, Japan were restricted to 116/9 after being put into bat by the UAE. Only Wataru Miyauchi - at number nine - made a significant contribution to the scoreboard, returning unbeaten for 45 off 32 deliveries. Other scores in the double figures came from Esam Rahman (23) and Abhishek Anand (10) at the top of the order and Abdul Samad (11 not out) at number 11.

The UAE's Haider Ali (three for 20) and Muhammad Arfan (two for 24) did the most damage with the ball in hand, setting up a simple chase for their batters.

Openers, Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem did not disappoint, they shared a 70-run stand before it was broken by Declan Suzuki (one for 14), who removed the skipper, Waseem, for 42 at the start of the eighth over.

Sharafu departed for 46 at the hands of Ibrahim Takahashi (one for 16) in the 11th over, but the foundation was firmly laid, giving Mayank Kumar (13 not out) and Rahul Chopra (14 not out) a smooth pathway to batting their team victory with 47 balls to spare.

The T20 World Cup 2026 includes hosts India and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the USA, and the West Indies qualified due to a top-seven finish in the last T20 World Cup. Ireland, New Zealand and Pakistan's ICC T20I Rankings earned them a spot. Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman and the UAE entered by doing well in the qualifiers of their respective regions.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
As an Indian cricket fan, I'm excited that we're hosting the 2026 World Cup with Sri Lanka! But honestly, the qualification process seems a bit unfair to associate nations. Japan played well but missed out due to one bad match. The ICC should reconsider the format.
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Arjun K
Wataru Miyauchi's 45* at number 9 for Japan was a fighting knock! Shows the spirit of associate cricket. Hope Japan continues to develop their cricket program. The Asia region is becoming so competitive! 🇯🇵
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Sarah B
The UAE team has so many Indian-origin players who learned cricket in India. Good to see them representing their adopted country with pride. The Sharafu-Waseem opening partnership was clinical! 🔥
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Vikram M
Winning with 47 balls to spare is absolutely dominant! UAE's bowling attack was too good for Japan. Haider Ali's 3/20 made the difference. Can't wait for the 2026 World Cup in India! 🇮🇳
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Kavya N
Nepal and Oman qualifying too! Great for South Asian cricket. The qualifiers show how global T20 cricket is becoming. From Italy to Namibia, so many countries are now competitive. Cricket is truly going global! 🌍

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