New Zealand cruised to a comfortable 10-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates in their Group D encounter at the MAC Stadium in Chennai on 10 February 2026, powered by a record-breaking opening stand between Tim Seifert and Finn Allen.
Batting first, the UAE made a positive start despite an early wicket, reaching 50 in just six overs thanks to a fluent partnership between Waseem Muhammad and Alishan Sharafu. Sharafu scored a quick half-century off 39 balls, while Waseem followed with 50 from 37 deliveries, putting UAE in a strong position. However, a late collapse saw them finish on 173 for 6 from 20 overs, falling short of the potential they had built.
In reply, Seifert and Allen launched an aggressive assault from the outset. The duo raced to 50 in just 4.3 overs and brought up a century stand inside nine overs, dismantling the UAE bowling attack. Seifert reached his fifty off only 23 balls, with Allen matching him shot for shot, and the pair’s unbeaten partnership eventually yielded 175 runs, the highest ever in T20 World Cup history. Allen also recorded a half-century from 27 balls as New Zealand reached 175 without loss, sealing a dominant win with several overs to spare.
The partnership broke the previous record of 170 held by England’s Alex Hales and Jos Buttler against India in the 2022 World Cup semifinal. This historic stand not only ensured a routine chase for New Zealand but also highlighted the explosive depth of their top order. While the UAE showed promise, particularly through Sharafu and Waseem, the Kiwi openers’ power-hitting proved unmatchable.
Highest partnerships in T20 World Cups:
-
175 – Tim Seifert & Finn Allen (NZ) vs UAE (2026)*
-
170 – Alex Hales & Jos Buttler (ENG) vs IND (2022)
-
168 – Rilee Rossouw & Quinton de Kock (SA) vs Bangladesh (2022)
-
166 – Kumar Sangakkara & Mahela Jayawardene vs West Indies (2010)
-
154 – Rahmanullah Gurbaz & Ibrahim Zadran (AFG) vs Uganda (2024)
