Pacer Junaid Siddique shone with a remarkable 5-35 performance, limiting Canada to 150/7 in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Group D faceoff at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite Harsh Thaker’s resilient half-century, Canada faced early setbacks losing both openers within four overs and reaching 39-3 by the end of the powerplay. Thaker’s 41-ball fifty, supported by Navneet Dhaliwal, included two fours and three sixes.
Dhaliwal’s dismissal for 34 in the 13th over marked a turning point as UAE’s bowlers, led by Siddique, tightened their lines. Siddique’s disciplined pace variations earned him the best bowling figures for an Associate bowler in this tournament, with Muhammad Jawadullah providing crucial support with an economical 1-16 spell. Canada’s slow running between the wickets and missed opportunities for twos hindered their scoring potential.
Siddique’s impactful bowling saw him dismiss Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa and Yuvraj Samra early on, setting the tone for UAE’s dominance. Thaker and Dhaliwal’s partnership briefly revived Canada’s innings, but Dhaliwal’s run-out shifted momentum. Thaker’s fifty off 40 balls ended abruptly as he fell to Siddique’s slower ball. UAE’s strong finish, including Siddique’s fifth wicket, restricted Canada to 150, a target UAE will aim to chase down despite the pitch’s challenging nature.
