T20 World Cup 2026: UAE send Muhammad Zohaib home for disciplinary reasons

T20 World Cup 2026: UAE send Muhammad Zohaib home for disciplinary reasons ahead of T20 World Cup clash. (Photo source: Joe Allison-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

In a surprising off-field development on the eve of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have sent batter Muhammad Zohaib back home, citing disciplinary reasons, just a day ahead of their tournament opener against New Zealand at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

The Emirates Cricket Board released a statement on Monday confirming Zohaib’s departure from the squad but did not divulge specific details about the nature of the disciplinary breach, saying that more details will be provided in due course.

Zohaib, who made his T20I debut for the UAE in May 2025, has played 16 matches and amassed 303 runs at an average of 20.20 with a strike rate of 103.76. In the UAE’s recent warm-up games, he batted at No. 9 in their defeat to Italy and scored 19 off 26 against Nepal.

The loss of Zohaib, a top-order option in the squad, leaves a gap in the UAE batting lineup and adds pressure ahead of their first World Cup fixture since 2022. The team is expected to open with 21-year-old Aryansh Sharma along with the captain, Muhammad Waseem, for the clash against the Mitchell Santner-led side.

Waseem addressed the situation in his pre-match comments, focusing on team unity and preparation rather than the controversy. The UAE skipper also stressed that within the team environment there is no India-Pakistan rivalry and that the squad remains tight-knit and focused on their campaign.

“Our strategy is very simple. We beat them before in UAE but this time it’s a different venue, different tournament, different ground, and different game also… But we work very well, and we have prepared ourselves like a champion team. We will try to play good cricket against them tomorrow,” Waseem was quoted as saying by ESPNcrininfo.

“There is no India-Pakistan. We are playing for the UAE and we are always treating ourselves like a family. We are living like a family, friends. We are spending time together, eating together. There is no Indian-Pakistani in the UAE team to be honest,” he added.

The disciplinary ruling adds an unexpected subplot to the UAE’s World Cup build-up, one that could impact their batting balance against a well-prepared BlackCaps unit. But only time will tell that, as the two sides cross swords on Tuesday, February 10.

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