In a thrilling encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Afghanistan secured their first victory in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 by defeating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by five wickets. Azmatullah Omarzai was the standout performer, taking 4 wickets for just 15 runs and scoring an unbeaten 40 runs off 21 balls. His all-round performance was crucial as Afghanistan chased down a target of 161 runs, finishing at 162 for 5 with four balls to spare. "Next game, you never know, it's a T20 game, we'll have to come up with a good brand of cricket," said Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan, emphasizing the importance of their upcoming match against Canada. This victory not only kept Afghanistan's hopes alive in the tournament but also allowed South Africa to qualify for the Super Eights without playing, as their progression was contingent on Afghanistan's win over UAE.