Captain waseem

The United Arab Emirates: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are all set to make their third appearance in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup when they open their Group D campaign against New Zealand in Chennai on Tuesday evening.

The Gulf nation qualified for the mega event after finishing third in the Asia-EAP regional qualifiers and marked their return to the tournament for the first time since 2022, where they secured their maiden T20 World Cup victory over Namibia.

Right-handed batter Alishan Sharafu has been in strong form since the last T20 World Cup in 2024, accumulating 1,105 runs in 37 innings at an average of 32.5 and a strike rate of 134. In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Sharafu talks about his batting, the UAE’s aims in the tournament, and the influence of captain Muhammad Waseem and head coach, former India opener Lalchand Rajput.