T20 World Cup 2026: ‘Don’t take us lightly’ – Lalchand Rajput hails rise of Associate nations on big stage

Lalchand Rajput’s UAE side will bow out of the tournament after their final group-stage match against South Africa in Delhi, irrespective of the result. However, they will not be returning home empty-handed. The Emirates secured a memorable victory over Canada, ensuring they have at least one win to show for their campaign while also making a meaningful contribution to the growing stature of Associate cricket.

In many ways, the Associate nations have made a stronger statement than the UAE alone. Nepal pushed England to the brink in their tournament opener, showcasing their rapid progress on the global stage. The Netherlands, the only Associate side at the last ODI World Cup, came within a dropped catch of pulling off a stunning win over Pakistan. Meanwhile, the USA placed both India and Pakistan under significant pressure during their matches, and Scotland produced competitive performances against the West Indies.

“I’m not surprised with [how the] Associate teams [have performed] because we play among the associates. It’s a big platform for the Associates to show off their talent. And I think they have done that. If you look at overall cricket all over the world, the smaller teams are really coming up. It’s a good thing that cricket is growing and that Associate countries have put their hands up and said: ‘don’t take us lightly’,” said Rajput as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

As for the UAE, they were comprehensively outplayed by New Zealand in their opening match. Their contest against Canada was closer than expected, though they managed to secure a valuable win. Against Afghanistan, the UAE produced a genuinely competitive performance. Their upward trajectory over the course of the tournament underlines an important point, the more frequently they compete at this level, the better they become at reading match situations and adapting to pressure.

“The last two games, we really proved that we are a better team than what was expected after the first game. Associate countries should play more matches. Until you play more matches, you will not know how to deal with those [close] situations. You can do a net-match-up but how do you come out of a tight situation like 80 for 5? Or how do you win in the last two overs? You don’t get that until you’re on the ground, until you feel it, that’s why you want to play more matches,” said Rajput.

Still, there were plenty of positives for the UAE, with the emergence of middle-order batter Sohaib Khan topping the list. Despite having just five T20I caps to his name, Sohaib made a strong statement with back-to-back half-centuries in the tournament. Having first caught attention on the UAE’s domestic circuit, he has now successfully translated that promise onto the international stage.

“We saw him in the local cricket and we called him for the camp. And then in the national camp, we played matches among ourselves, so he showed a lot of positive intent and really batted well. Before this, we took him to the [Asia Cup Rising Stars] where he got a 60-odd against India. He is mentally strong and he plays fearless cricket. He backs his skill and the way he is battling is fantastic. It’s a good platform for him to show what he can do. He just has to go higher now. He can’t go down now,” said Rajput.

The UAE also have a bright spot in their bowling attack, with Junaid Siddique featuring among the top five wicket-takers in the tournament. He has claimed seven wickets so far. Siddique is also one of the squad members involved in the ILT20, representing the Sharjah Warriorz. According to Rajput, his exposure in the franchise league has significantly contributed to his development.

“The ILT20 has definitely helped the UAE players because they rub shoulders with top players. It gives them confidence because bowlers bowl to better batters and batters bat against better bowlers. I’m sure it will continue to help them grow,” said Rajput.

The UAE’s next major focus will be qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. While their T20 campaign has shown signs of progress, the longer-format pathway presents a tougher challenge. They currently sit at the bottom of the eight-team World Cricket League 2 points table, trailing leaders USA by 26 points.