The United Arab Emirates national cricket team is gearing up for a crucial home campaign as they host the Netherlands and Oman in the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 Tri-Series. All six 50-over fixtures will take place at the ICC Academy Oval 1 in Dubai, with the opening ball scheduled for 9:30 AM local time each matchday.The hosts kick off their campaign against the Netherlands on Sunday, 25 October. UAE will subsequently face regional rivals Oman on Thursday, 29 October, followed by reverse fixtures against the Netherlands on Tuesday, 2 November, and Oman on Thursday, 4 November.
Fresh leadership under Rahul Chopra
Emirates Cricket has announced a 15-member squad for the series, appointing batter Rahul Chopra as captain:
UAE Squad: Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Khan, Adeeb Usmani (wk), Akshdeep Nath, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Awais Ali Khan, Basil Hameed, Junaid Siddique, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Shahdad, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Sohaib Khan, Tanish Suri (wk).
The qualification landscape & UAE’s urgent task
The stakes could not be higher for the hosts. The eight-team ICC CWC League 2 acts as a direct gateway toward the 2027 Cricket World Cup, where the top four teams automatically advance to the Global World Cup Qualifier. Meanwhile, the bottom four teams are relegated to the Qualifier Play-off, forcing them into a high-pressure, secondary battle for survival.
Currently, the United States (49 pts), Scotland (45 pts), and the Netherlands (38 pts) hold the top three positions with strong positive Net Run Rates (+NRRs). Oman (33 pts) occupies the fourth and final direct qualification spot.
In contrast, UAE sits at the bottom of the table (8th place) with just 19 points from 32 matches and a severely negative Net Run Rate of -0.920. Having conceded far more runs relative to overs faced than they have scored, UAE cannot secure a direct top-4 finish.
However, this home series offers a vital opportunity to build positive momentum, repair their Net Run Rate, and gain crucial winning rhythm before entering the Qualifier Play-off stage. Under Chopra’s new leadership, a strong showing in Dubai will be essential for restoring confidence and keeping UAE’s World Cup dreams alive.
For more news & updates, follow The Crichub on Instagram, X and YouTube
