Haider Shah Replaces Zohaib In UAE Squad For Remainder Of T20 World Cup
Wicketkeeper-batter Haider Shah has been officially named as a replacement for Muhammad Zohaib in the United Arab Emirates squad for the remainder of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
According to a statement issued by the International Cricket Council, the Event Technical Committee has approved Haider’s inclusion in the UAE squad. Zohaib was withdrawn from the team due to player mental well-being and team welfare issues.
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Haider Shah, who has featured in 16 T20 Internationals for the UAE, will now take over as the designated replacement. As per tournament regulations, any player replacement must receive formal clearance from the Event Technical Committee before being officially added to the squad.
The Event Technical Committee for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 comprises Wasim Khan (ICC General Manager – Cricket, ICC Representative), Gaurav Saxena (IBC Representative), Hemang Amin (Host Representative), and Shaun Pollock (Independent Representative).
The squad change comes after a disappointing start to the tournament for UAE. The team suffered a heavy 10-wicket defeat in their opening group-stage match against New Zealand national cricket team, led by Mitchell Santner.
Chasing a target of 174 runs, New Zealand comfortably reached the total with 28 balls to spare. Openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen produced a dominant batting display, guiding the Black Caps to victory in just 15.2 overs.
Seifert remained unbeaten on 89 off 42 deliveries, striking 12 fours and three sixes, while Allen scored an unbeaten 84 off 50 balls, including five fours and five sixes. The pair stitched together a remarkable 175-run partnership for the first wicket, which now stands as the highest partnership for any wicket in T20 World Cup history.
New Zealand remain unbeaten in the tournament with two wins from two matches, while UAE will look to regroup as they continue their campaign with the updated squad.
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