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The rivalry between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team and the United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team is a compelling story of regional competition and rising cricketing ambitions, where Afghanistan has rapidly established itself as a strong international side with world class players and consistent performances while the United Arab Emirates continues to develop as a competitive associate team with growing potential, and the standings between these two teams clearly reflect Afghanistan’s dominance but also highlight UAE’s determination to close the gap.
Latest Matches
| Tournament | Venue | Date | Afghanistan Score | United Arab Emirates Score | Result | Series |
| ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Feb 16, 2026 | 162/5 (19.2 overs) | 160/9 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 5 wkts | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series 2025 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | Sep 5, 2025 | 170/4 (20 overs) | 166/5 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 4 runs | United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series 2025 |
| United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series 2025 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | Sep 1, 2025 | 188/4 (20 overs) | 150/8 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 38 runs | United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series 2025 |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2023/24 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | Jan 2, 2024 | 128/6 (18.3 overs) | 126/9 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 4 wkts | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2023/24 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | Dec 31, 2023 | 155 (19.5 overs) | 166/7 (20 overs) | United Arab Emirates won by 11 runs | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2023/24 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah | Dec 29, 2023 | 203/3 (20 overs) | 131/4 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 72 runs | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2022/23 | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | Feb 19, 2023 | 166/4 (19.1 overs) | 163/6 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 6 wkts | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2022/23 | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | Feb 18, 2023 | 137/6 (20 overs) | 138/1 (18.2 overs) | United Arab Emirates won by 9 wkts | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2022/23 | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | Feb 16, 2023 | 146/5 (19.1 overs) | 142/5 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 5 wkts | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Desert T20 Challenge 2016-17 | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi | Jan 15, 2017 | 147/5 (18.5 overs) | 146/7 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 5 wkts | Desert T20 Challenge |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2016/17 | ICC Academy, Dubai | Dec 17, 2016 | 189/5 (20 overs) | 145/8 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 44 runs | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2016/17 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | Dec 16, 2016 | 183/5 (19.4 overs) | 179/4 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 5 wkts | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Afghanistan in United Arab Emirates T20I Series 2016/17 | ICC Academy, Dubai | Dec 14, 2016 | 161/6 (20 overs) | 150/7 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 11 runs | Afghanistan in UAE T20I Series |
| Asia Cup 2015-16 | Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah | Feb 18, 2016 | 160 (19.5 overs) | 176/4 (20 overs) | United Arab Emirates won by 16 runs | Asia Cup 2015-16 |
| ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2015 | Grange Cricket Club, Edinburgh | Jul 10, 2015 | 168/2 (17.2 overs) | 164/6 (20 overs) | Afghanistan won by 8 wkts | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier |
Current Squad Comparison
| Role | Afghanistan National Team | United Arab Emirates National Team | Edge Goes To |
| Captain | Rashid Khan | Muhammad Waseem | Afghanistan |
| Vice-Captain | Ibrahim Zadran | – | Afghanistan |
| Wicket-Keepers | Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Ishaq | Aryansh Sharma | Afghanistan |
| Top-Order Batsmen | Ibrahim Zadran (VC), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli | Muhammad Waseem (C), Alishan Sharafu, Mayank Kumar | Afghanistan |
| Middle-Order | Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Shahidullah Kamal | Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar | Afghanistan |
| Spin Bowlers | Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Arfan | Afghanistan (Massive) |
| Fast Bowlers | Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai | Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah, Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh | Afghanistan |
| All-Rounders | Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib | Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar | Afghanistan |
| Squad Strength | World-class spin + explosive batting depth | Solid top order but lacks depth in spin attack | Afghanistan |
Top Players Comparison
| Player | Team | Role | Key Strength | Recent Impact (2025-26) | Head-to-Head Edge |
| Rashid Khan | AFG | Leg-Spin (Captain) | Googly & control under pressure | 700th T20 wicket milestone vs UAE | Dominant |
| Ibrahim Zadran | AFG | Opener / VC | Consistent anchoring + big hits | Multiple 50+ scores in recent series | Strong |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | AFG | WK-Batsman | Aggressive power-hitting | Explosive starts in T20 World Cup | Strong |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | AFG | All-Rounder | Seam bowling + finishing | 4-wicket hauls & quick runs | Dominant |
| Mohammad Nabi | AFG | All-Rounder | Experience + off-spin | Middle-order stability | Solid |
| Muhammad Waseem | UAE | Opener (Captain) | Power-hitting & leadership | Consistent top scorer for UAE | Best for UAE |
| Alishan Sharafu | UAE | Opener | Aggressive strokeplay | Reliable starts in recent T20Is | Good |
| Junaid Siddique | UAE | All-Rounder | Medium pace + lower-order batting | Handy contributions | Average |
Playing XI Comparison
| Position | Afghanistan Probable Playing XI | United Arab Emirates Probable Playing XI | Advantage |
| 1. Opener | Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK) | Muhammad Waseem (C) | Afghanistan |
| 2. Opener | Ibrahim Zadran (VC) | Alishan Sharafu | Afghanistan |
| 3. No. 3 | Sediqullah Atal | Mayank Kumar | Afghanistan |
| 4. No. 4 | Darwish Rasooli / Azmatullah Omarzai | Haider Ali | Afghanistan |
| 5. No. 5 | Azmatullah Omarzai / Mohammad Nabi | Harshit Kaushik | Afghanistan |
| 6. All-Rounder | Gulbadin Naib / Mohammad Nabi | Dhruv Parashar | Afghanistan |
| 7. All-Rounder | – | – | – |
| 8. Spinner | Rashid Khan (C) | Muhammad Farooq | Afghanistan |
| 9. Spinner | Noor Ahmad / Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Muhammad Arfan | Afghanistan |
| 10. Pacer | Naveen-ul-Haq | Junaid Siddique | Afghanistan |
| 11. Pacer | Fazalhaq Farooqi | Muhammad Jawadullah / Rohid Khan | Afghanistan |
Head to Head Standings Overview
The head to head standings between Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates show a clear advantage for Afghanistan due to its rapid rise and consistent success in international cricket, while UAE has had several opportunities to compete and has delivered competitive performances in certain matches, making the rivalry meaningful despite the difference in results.
| Format | Matches Played | Afghanistan Wins | UAE Wins | No Result |
| ODIs | 10 plus | Strong lead | Few | Rare |
| T20Is | 10 plus | Leading | Competitive | Few |
| Overall | 25 plus | Dominant | Limited | Few |
| Recent | Last 10 | Afghanistan edge | Competitive | Few |
| Trend | Stable | Improving | Competitive | Growing |
ICC Rankings and Growth Journey
The International Cricket Council rankings highlight Afghanistan as a rising force in international cricket, especially in T20 formats where they rank among strong teams, while UAE continues to work its way up the rankings through qualifiers and regional tournaments, making the standings comparison a reflection of rapid success versus steady development.
| Format | Afghanistan Rank | UAE Rank | Afghanistan Strength | UAE Strength | Trend |
| Tests | Emerging | Not active | Growth | Development | Stable |
| ODIs | Competitive | Developing | Spin attack | Batting effort | Rising |
| T20Is | Strong | Improving | Aggression | Potential | Upward |
| Overall | Rising | Emerging | Talent | Expansion | Positive |
| Future | Strong | Growing | Experience | Progress | Upward |
Match History and Competitive Moments
The match history between Afghanistan and UAE reflects Afghanistan’s dominance but also includes competitive moments where UAE has pushed Afghanistan in close matches, especially in regional tournaments and qualifiers, showing that the rivalry has depth beyond just standings.
| Year | Match Type | Winner | Margin | Key Highlight |
| 2023 | T20 | Afghanistan | Comfortable | Strong bowling |
| 2022 | ODI | Afghanistan | Close | Tight finish |
| 2021 | T20 | Afghanistan | Dominant | Batting power |
| 2020 | T20 | UAE | Upset | Surprise win |
| Overall | Mixed | Afghanistan | Strong lead | Competitive |
Key Players Driving the Rivalry
Player performances have played a major role in shaping standings between these teams, with Afghanistan relying on world class players, especially in spin bowling, while UAE depends on emerging talents and experienced players to compete and improve at the international level.
| Team | Batsman | Bowler | All Rounder | X Factor Player |
| Afghanistan | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Rashid Khan | Mohammad Nabi | Ibrahim Zadran |
| UAE | Muhammad Waseem | Junaid Siddique | Rohan Mustafa | Vriitya Aravind |
| Afghanistan | Hashmatullah Shahidi | Fazalhaq Farooqi | Azmatullah Omarzai | Mujeeb Ur Rahman |
| UAE | Chirag Suri | Zahoor Khan | Basil Hameed | Alishan Sharafu |
| Combined | Match winners | Strike bowlers | Game changers | Impact players |
Performance in ICC and Regional Tournaments
ICC and regional tournaments have played a key role in defining the standings between Afghanistan and UAE, where Afghanistan has consistently performed well and qualified for major tournaments while UAE continues to compete in qualifiers and regional competitions to strengthen its position.
| Tournament | Afghanistan Record | UAE Record | Best Afghanistan Result | Best UAE Result |
| T20 World Cup | Strong | Occasional | Super stages | Qualification |
| ODI World Cup | Qualified | Rare | Group stage | Qualification |
| Asia Cup | Competitive | Limited | Strong performances | Participation |
| Qualifiers | Successful | Frequent | Consistent qualification | Competitive |
| Overall ICC | Rising | Developing | Growing success | Improving |
Conditions and Venue Impact
Conditions play an important role in shaping standings between Afghanistan and UAE, with Afghanistan excelling in spin friendly conditions while UAE performs better in familiar subcontinent and desert conditions, making venue a key factor in determining match outcomes.
| Venue Type | Afghanistan Wins | UAE Wins | Advantage Team | Key Condition | Impact Level |
| Asia | High | Moderate | Afghanistan | Spin | High |
| UAE | Strong | Competitive | Afghanistan | Familiar pitch | High |
| Neutral | Balanced | Competitive | Afghanistan | Mixed | Medium |
| ICC Events | Strong | Limited | Afghanistan | Experience | High |
| Overall | Dominant | Improving | Afghanistan | Adaptability | High |
Future Outlook of the Rivalry
The future standings between Afghanistan and UAE are expected to remain in Afghanistan’s favor in the short term due to its stronger squad and international experience, while UAE continues to develop its cricketing structure and talent pool, aiming to become more competitive and challenge stronger teams in the coming years.
| Factor | Afghanistan Advantage | UAE Advantage | Overall Impact | Future Trend | Competition Level |
| Experience | Very high | Moderate | Strong | Stable | Medium |
| Squad Depth | Strong | Developing | Key | Growing | Medium |
| Skill Level | Elite | Emerging | Decisive | Stable | Medium |
| Growth Potential | High | Very high | Long term | Rising | Increasing |
| Global Exposure | High | Improving | Important | Upward | Growing |
Conclusion
The standings between Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates highlight a rivalry shaped by growth and ambition, where Afghanistan has established itself as a dominant and rising cricketing nation while UAE continues its journey of development and improvement, and although the gap remains clear, the future promises more competitive encounters as UAE strengthens its presence in international cricket.
