The UAE have secured their spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, joining Nepal and Oman from the Asia/East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Qualifiers. Their qualification was confirmed following an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Japan in their Super Six clash at the EAP Qualifier in Oman on Thursday.
Muhammad Waseem and his team have now guaranteed a top-three finish in the regional competition, joining Nepal and Oman as the tournament’s three qualifiers ahead of the scheduled conclusion on Friday.
With this result, the full lineup of 20 teams for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is now finalized: India (co-host), Sri Lanka (co-host), Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, Ireland, Italy, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa, UAE, USA, West Indies, and Zimbabwe.
The UAE’s win also eliminated Japan, Samoa, and Qatar, who still had a mathematical chance of qualifying.
In the match, Japan, sent in to bat, were restricted to 116/9. The standout performance came from number nine, Wataru Miyauchi, who remained unbeaten on 45 off 32 balls. Other contributions in double figures came from Esam Rahman (23), Abhishek Anand (10), and Abdul Samad (11 not out).
UAE bowlers Haider Ali (3/20) and Muhammad Arfan (2/24) were instrumental in keeping Japan’s score under control, setting up a straightforward chase for their batters.
Openers Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem put on a strong 70-run partnership. Declan Suzuki broke the stand, dismissing Waseem for 42 at the start of the eighth over. Sharafu followed for 46, bowled by Ibrahim Takahashi in the 11th over. However, the UAE’s foundation was solid, allowing Mayank Kumar (13) and Rahul Chopra (14) to guide their team to a comfortable victory with 47 balls remaining.
List of all teams qualified for ICC T20 World Cup 2026
| Teams | Qualification Path |
|---|---|
| India | Tournament hosts |
| Sri Lanka | Tournament hosts |
| Afghanistan | Top 7 finish T20WC 2024 |
| Australia | Top 7 finish T20WC 2024 |
| Bangladesh | Top 7 finish T20WC 2024 |
| England | Top 7 finish T20WC 2024 |
| South Africa | Top 7 finish T20WC 2024 |
| USA | Top 7 finish T20WC 2024 |
| West Indies | Top 7 finish T20WC 2024 |
| Ireland | ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings |
| New Zealand | ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings |
| Pakistan | ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings |
| Canada | Americas Qualifier |
| Italy | Europe Qualifier |
| Netherlands | Europe Qualifier |
| Namibia | Africa Qualifier |
| Zimbabwe | Africa Qualifier |
| Nepal | Asia/EAP Qualifier |
| Oman | Asia/EAP Qualifier |
| UAE | Asia/EAP Qualifier |