UAE Lock Up 20th And Final Spot For ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026; All Qualified Nations Listed

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially qualified for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The associate cricketing nation is one of the 20 qualified sides that will come to India and Sri Lanka in 2026.

UAE secured the 20th and final position for the Men's T20 World Cup after winning the Asia-EAP Qualifier tournament. They defeated Japan to book the last spot for the upcoming ICC competition, securing a top-three spot at the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier in Oman.

UAE Defeat Struggling Japan By Eight Wickets, Secure Final T20WC Qualifiers Spot

The United Arab Emirates locked horns with Japan in the ICC World Qualifier for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

Japan struggled to bat as the UAE bowlers delivered a clinical spell. Haider Ali's 3/20 and Muhammad Irfan's 2/24 set the tone as the Japanese side was bowled out at 116/9.

UAE delivered a commanding response, with Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem putting up a vital opening run stand to close in on the target. Sharafu scored 46, while skipper Waseem put up 42 runs on the scoreboard.

Rahul Chopra and Mayank Kumar remained unbeaten till the end, with Mayank putting the finishing touches by hitting a six, helping their side secure an eight-wicket win at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman. 

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All 20 Teams For The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Are Locked In 

India and Sri Lanka have bagged automatic qualification for the tournament as they are the tournament's hosts. Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the West Indies and the United States of America have qualified after finishing as the top seven teams in the previous edition of the Men's T20 World Cup.

New Zealand, Ireland and Pakistan are the three teams that have qualified based on their T20I rankings.

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Check Out The Other Teams That Have Qualified After Winning The Qualifiers

The Indian cricket team is the defending champions after winning the Men's T20 World Cup Final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue defeated South Africa in a nail-biting match, which had the fans hooked to the edge of their seats.