Time to hit reset button: UAE, Canada seek first win after turbulent starts at T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI: On paper, Friday’s T20 World Cup fixture at the Arun Jaitley Stadium pits the 17th-ranked T20I side against the 19th. In reality, UAE vs Canada is less about rankings and more about two teams trying to steady themselves after bruising starts and doing so with very different baggage.The UAE arrive as the more seasoned Associate outfit. Since the last T20 World Cup, they have played 11 matches against Full Members; Canada, by contrast, played none. Yet UAE’s preparations were rocked by a controversy that threatens to overshadow their campaign. Top-order batter Muhammad Zohaib was sent home on the eve of their opening encounter against New Zealand, officially for “disciplinary reasons” as stated by the Emirates Cricket Board, with the ICC citing “player mental well-being and team welfare issues”.

Zohaib has reportedly claimed he was forced out. When a squad is built on consistency and clarity of roles, excluding a first-choice batter is no minor adjustment, it shakes the dressing-room balance.The immediate impact was visible in UAE’s opening fixture in Chennai. UAE post-ed a competitive total thanks to half-centuries from Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu, but the rest of the batting card eroded.Then their bowlers were unable to apply pressure as New Zealand chased down 174 in just 15.2 overs.

Against Canada, the onus again will fall heavily on captain Waseem. His unbeaten 66 off 45 balls in the match against New Zealand showcased his command over tempo, clean hitting, and the ability to bat deep. UAE’s hopes of settling their campaign may well hinge on whether their skipper can again be both the anchor as well as the accelerator.Canada also faced a heavy defeat in their opening match against South Africa in Ahmedabad.

They conceded too many and fell short with the bat, losing by 57 runs.Canada’s story, particularly in this tournament, carries a distinct subcontinental thread. The squad is shaped by players with Punjabi roots — from both sides of the India-Pakistan border — giving the team a cultural and cricketing blend that mirrors several diaspora leagues across the world. Dhaliwal embodies that identity. Born in Chandigarh, raised cricket-wise in Mohali, and now Canada’s senior statesman at 37, he remains their most elegant batter.

His 64 against South Africa was a reminder of his range — late cuts, inside-out drives, deft flicks, and the patience of some-one who learned the game on Indian pitches before carrying it across continents.There is also a charming footnote to his cricket journey. As a youngster at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, he once threw balls to an eight-year-old Shubman Gill when Gill’s father brought him for practice.