UAE's Mohammed Zohaib sent home from T20 World Cup for breach of discipline
Zohaib has alleged that the decision was influenced by his nationality
DUBAI: United Arab Emirates (UAE) cricketer Mohammed Zohaib has been sent home from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Monday.
According to the ECB, Zohaib was recalled to Dubai due to breaches of team discipline. The board added that further details would be released at an appropriate time.
However, Zohaib has alleged that the decision was influenced by his nationality, claiming that the team management is entirely of Indian origin and that he was removed because he is Pakistani.
He has called for an official investigation by the ECB into the matter.
This development comes ahead of the UAE’s crucial T20 World Cup fixtures, raising questions about team selection and internal management dynamics.
The UAE, led by star top-order batter Mohammad Waseem, will begin their 2026 campaign against New Zealand on Tuesday in Chennai.
The squad features a blend of experienced players, including Alishan Sharafu, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, and Rohid Khan.
The Gulf nation qualified for the 20-team tournament after defeating Japan in their Super Six clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia & East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Qualifier in Oman.
UAE had previously participated in the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2022, finishing in the group stage on both occasions.
Following their opening match, the team will travel to New Delhi for remaining group-stage fixtures against Canada, Afghanistan, and South Africa on 13, 16, and 18 February, respectively.
UAE Squad for T20 World Cup 2026:
Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan and Simranjeet Singh.
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