On the eve of a World Cup opener, teams usually worry about combinations, match-ups and the toss. The UAE, instead, have been forced into damage control. Just hours before they are due to face New Zealand in Chennai, the Emirates squad has been trimmed, with one player, Muhammad Zohaib, put on a flight home.
It is something that the UAE would not have wanted. Tuesday’s match marks UAE’s first T20 World Cup appearance since 2022, and preparation time has already been far from ideal. In their most recent warm-up, UAE were bowled out for 81 against Italy, a result that would have surely hit their confidence. Losing a batter, even one not locked into the XI, isn’t ideal at all.
“I was told to declare I have an injury, and that would be the reason I was going home, but I said, ‘No, I am fit’. I was told to tell the ECB and ICC my mother is not well, and that I had to go home, but I didn’t want to leave the World Cup. I don’t know why they wanted to send me back. I am fit. I have no family reason. I have no disciplinary reason. Everything is good – fitness, home, there are no issues, and my attitude is good. Why they sent me back, I don’t know,” Muhammad Zohaib told The National
Pakistan-origin player left out of UAE squad
In a brief statement issued on Monday, the Emirates Cricket Board confirmed that batter Muhammad Zohaib had been sent back home for “disciplinary reasons“, adding that further details would be shared later. No timeline was offered. No clarification followed.
Behind the scenes, reports suggest tensions had been brewing. There have been claims that Zohaib struggled to integrate after arriving in India, with allegations around discipline and off-field behaviour. Zohaib, in turn, has accused the board of discrimination and suggested his Pakistan roots played a role in the decision. The ECB have not responded to those claims. He has also been accused of excessive drinking and personal life issues.
Zohaib’s removal immediately puts more pressure on a UAE batting group that is still settling. He featured in both warm-up games, batting at No. 3 against Nepal, where he scored 19 off 26 balls, and later at No. 9 against Italy. While UAE have already decided on 21-year-old Aryansh Sharma to open alongside captain Muhammad Waseem, Zohaib was seen as a flexible option across the top and middle order.
Zohaib made his UAE debut in May 2025 and has played 16 T20Is, scoring 303 runs at an average of 20.20 and a strike rate of 103.76. Interestingly, he has also batted once against India. During the Asia Cup 2025, he batted at number three but added just two runs to the UAE’s total of 57. He was dismissed by Varun Chakaravarthy. Against Pakistan, he made 4 runs before getting castled by Saim Ayub.
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