Haider Shah Replaces Muhammad 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 UAE squad for the remainder of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

According to an ICC statement, the Event Technical Committee approved Haider’s inclusion after Zohaib was withdrawn from the squad due to player mental well-being and team welfare issues. Haider, who has featured in 16 T20 Internationals, will now join the squad for the rest of the competition.

As per tournament regulations, any player replacement requires formal approval from the Event Technical Committee before being officially added to the squad. The ETC 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 change comes after UAE endured a heavy 10-wicket defeat in their opening group-stage match against New Zealand national cricket team, led by Mitchell Santner, on Tuesday.

Chasing a target of 174, New Zealand completed the task with 28 balls to spare. Openers Tim Seifert (89 not out off 42 balls) and Finn Allen (84 not out off 50 balls) dominated the innings, guiding the Black Caps to victory in just 15.2 overs.

Allen struck five fours and five sixes, while Seifert smashed 12 fours and three sixes. The pair added 175 runs for the first wicket, which 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 with Haider Shah now part of their squad for the remainder of the campaign.