UAE batter Muhammad Zohaib has been sent back home from Chennai over disciplinary issues, the Emirates Cricket Board confirmed on the eve of their T20 World Cup 2026 opening fixture against New Zealand.

In a statement released on Monday (February 9), the Emirates Cricket Board said that ‘further details will be shared in due course’.

UAE will face New Zealand at Chepauk on Tuesday (February 10). Zohaib’s absence comes as a big blow for the side that was bowled out for a paltry 81 in their warm-up fixture against Italy last Friday.

Having made his UAE debut in May 2025, Zohaib has played 16 T20Is so far, scoring 303 runs at an average of 20.2 with a strike rate of 103.76.

The team management has now confirmed 21-year-old Aryansh Sharma to open alongside captain Muhammad Waseem.

Ahead of the New Zealand clash, Waseem opened up on UAE’s preparation and team unity, highlighting that the squad features players of both Indian and Pakistani origin.

Waseem expects his troops to draw confidence from the UAE’s T20I win against New Zealand in Dubai in 2023.

“Our strategy is very simple. We beat them before in the UAE, but this time it is a different venue, a different tournament, a different ground and a different game also. So we came up with another plan right now," Waseem said in the pre-match presser.

“There is no India-Pakistan. We are playing for the UAE and we are always treating ourselves like a family. We are living like a family, friends. We are spending time together, eating together," he added.

The Black Caps won’t be taking the UAE lightly, after other associate teams like USA, Nepal and the Netherlands gave their heavyweight opponents a tough time.