Last Updated on 2 months ago by Charbel Coorey

New Zealand will take on the UAE in the 11th match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, will host this game on 10th February 2026 at 3 PM IST. 

The Kiwis defeated Afghanistan by five wickets in their first match of the tournament thanks to a collective batting performance after two early wickets. Tim Seifert (65 runs) was excellent, while Glenn Phillips (42 runs) complemented him well. Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman and Mitchell Santner ensured there were no hiccups at the death.

New Zealand has a good bowling attack. The likes of Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, and Lockie Ferguson form a strong pace trio. Mitchell Santner is arguably amongst the best white-ball spinners going around, and Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips are also useful with their bowling. The Kiwis will be eyeing their second win this match.

On the other hand, UAE will be playing their first game of the tournament. The likes of Muhammad Waseem, Aryansh Sharma, Alishan Sharafu, Haider Ali, and Junaid Siddique have important roles to play.

UAE lost both their warmup games – against Nepal by seven wickets and against Italy by 112 runs. They must leave all this behind and focus on this game. Their bowling looks good, but they’ll have to be on their toes in the batting department to cause an upset and start off their campaign with a win. 

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 11th Match: NZ vs UAE Probable Playing XIs

New Zealand: 1. Tim Seifert (wk), 2. Finn Allen, 3. Rachin Ravindra, 4. Glenn Phillips, 5. Mark Chapman, 6. Daryl Mitchell, 7. Mitchell Santner (c), 8. Jimmy Neesham, 9. Lockie Ferguson, 10. Matt Henry, 11. Jacob Duffy

As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Muhammad Zohaib has been sent home for “disciplinary issues.

UAE: 1. Aryansh Sharma (wk), 2. Muhammad Waseem (c), 3. Alishan Sharafu, 4. Sohaib Khan, 5. Harshit Kaushik, 6. Mayank Kumar, 7. Dhruv Parashar, 8. Muhammad Arfan, 9. Haider Ali, 10. Junaid Siddique, 11. Muhammad Jawadullah

MA Chidambaram Stadium Chepauk Chennai Pitch Report and Weather

The wicket has been a good one for batting at Chepauk despite its traditionally slow nature. Afghanistan scored 182 in the first game played here, and New Zealand chased it down with 2.1 overs and five wickets to spare.

The pitch is expected to be similar for this game. The spinners will get good assistance, but batters are expected to dominate the game on a relaid square.

It will be a sunny day with the temperature being around 27 degrees Celsius with 54% humidity at the start of the match.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for NZ vs UAE: Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top Wicket-Keeper Picks:  

• Tim Seifert looked at his best in the first game. He attacked the bowlers and played shots all around the ground. He led the batting effort from the Kiwis and will be a must in your fantasy teams. Seifert will be a popular C/VC pick as well.
• Finn Allen is another in-form batter for the Kiwis. He got out for just one run in the last game but Allen has been in terrific form since the last BBL and he scored a brilliant fifty against India as well. Allen is another top C/VC choice.

Key batter picks: 

• Rachin Ravindra will bat at 3 for New Zealand. Ravindra is going through a lean phase with the bat, but he’s done well in the ICC events so far and will be a key player for New Zealand. He can also roll his arm over if needed. Try him as captain in some of your teams. 
• Muhammad Waseem is the best batter for UAE and will be a key player for his team at the top of the order. Waseem can bat according to the situation, and he’s someone you can back. 

Top all-rounder picks: 

• Glenn Phillips looked in sublime touch in the last game. He attacked the spinners and took on the opposition during the middle overs. Phillips field at the hotspots, and he may bowl an over or two as well. He’s another popular captain pick.
• Mitchell Santner went wicketless in the last game, but he’s a complete package in fantasy cricket. He will bowl 3-4 overs and has been in excellent batting form. Santner can go through the UAE’s middle order in this match.

Key bowler picks: 

• Matt Henry will bowl in the powerplay and then towards the end of the innings. He can move the new ball and uses his lengths and cutters towards the end of the innings. Henry can trouble the UAE’s top order.
• Lockie Ferguson adds a different dimension to New Zealand’s bowling with his high pace and accuracy. He can bowl in any phase of the innings and has a good cutter as well. Ferguson picked up two wickets against Afghanistan.
• Jacob Duffy has been in top form lately. He will bowl with the new ball and has a knack for picking up wickets in clusters on his day. Duffy uses his height quite well and can bowl a heavy ball. He’s someone you can bank on for this match.   

Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Junaid Siddique
• Aryansh Sharma
• Haider Ali
• Alishan Sharafu
• Jawadullah

Other Matchups and Facts 

• Head-to-Head: New Zealand 2, UAE 1.
• Since the start of 2025, Finn Allen has smashed 1,361 runs in all T20s at an average of 34 and strike rate of 194.7.
• Mitch Santner concedes just 6.62 runs per over in his five T20s at Chepauk.

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 11th Match: NZ vs UAE Dream11 Prediction Today

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 11th Match: NZ vs UAE Match Prediction: Who will win?

New Zealand will be the clear favorites to win this game considering their squad depth and balance compared to the UAE. UAE will have to bat well, especially their middle order, if they are to give themselves a chance to win this game. 

New Zealand to win.

Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes for Dream11 free contests in line with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The stats and writer’s views are in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.

All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo, and Cricmetric.