NEW DELHI: Canada won the toss and elected to bat first against the United Arab Emirates in their Group D clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.
Both sides entered the contest searching for their first win of the tournament, making the fixture crucial in the race for Super Eight qualification.
Canada, who were beaten by South Africa in their opening match, chose to set a target on a surface expected to favour batting early before slowing down later in the evening.
The UAE, meanwhile, were aiming to bounce back after suffering a heavy defeat to New Zealand, where their bowlers struggled to contain an aggressive chase.
The two teams have met only once previously in T20 internationals, with the UAE winning that encounter during a qualifier in 2019. However, both teams were eager to rewrite history with valuable points on offer in the World Cup group stage.
Canada named a balanced XI featuring Navneet Dhaliwal and Aaron Johnson at the top, while the UAE relied on captain Muhammad Waseem and all-rounder Rohan Mustafa to provide stability.
With Group D tightly contested, the toss decision could play a key role in shaping the outcome of a match that both teams cannot afford to lose.
