In a thrilling encounter at Arun Jaitley Stadium, UAE’s Sohail Khan etched his name into T20 World Cup history with a blistering 51-run knock off just 29 balls against Canada. Batting at number six, Khan became the first UAE player to score a half-century from that position or lower in the tournament’s annals.
UAE were chasing a modest target of 151 but found themselves in dire straits at 95 for 4 after 16 overs. Enter Sohail Khan, who unleashed pure carnage with four sixes and four fours, steering his team to victory in 19.4 overs. His explosive innings turned the game on its head, showcasing the kind of match-winning prowess rare in associate cricket.
This wasn’t just any fifty. Khan joined an elite list as only the third player from an associate nation to achieve this feat from number six or below. Previously, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi smashed 52 against Zimbabwe in 2016, and Namibia’s David Wiese notched 55 versus UAE in 2022.
Khan’s partnership with Aryansh Sharma for the fifth wicket was equally monumental—84 runs off 42 balls, ranking as the third-highest such stand in T20 World Cup history for associate teams from the fifth wicket or lower. The top spot belongs to Afghanistan’s Nabi and Samiullah Shinwari with 98 against Zimbabwe, followed by USA’s Andries Gous and Harmeet Singh’s 91 versus South Africa this year.
Earlier, Canada posted 150 for 7, powered by Harsh Thakor’s gritty 50 and Navneet Dhaliwal’s 34. UAE’s Junaid Siddiqui shone with the ball, claiming five wickets. In reply, Sharma top-scored with 74 off 53 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes), but it was Khan’s fireworks that stole the show, propelling UAE to a memorable Group D victory.