UAE bat first against Netherlands in Dubai League 2 opener
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- The UAE chose to bat first after winning the toss in Dubai on October 25, 2026.
- At the time of writing, the UAE were 39 for 2 after 10 overs.
- The game opens a six-match tri-series in Dubai that also features Oman.
The United Arab Emirates chose to bat first against the Netherlands in Dubai today. The hosts lost two early wickets and reached 39 for 2 after 10 overs. The game is match 140 of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27.
It is the first game of a six-match tri-series in Dubai. Oman is the third team in the series. All six games take place at the ICC Academy Oval 1.
The match started at 9:30 in the morning Dubai time. That is 10:30 in the morning PKT. It is a 50-over game, so each team bats for a maximum of 50 overs.
One over means six balls bowled in a row.
What happened
The UAE won the toss and chose to bat first, according to Cricbuzz. That choice gave the hosts the first chance to set a total. The Netherlands bowlers then struck twice in the early overs.
Tanish Suri led the early fight for the hosts. At the time of writing, he was 23 not out from 30 balls. Not out means he was still batting when the score was noted.
Captain Rahul Chopra was with him on 0 not out from 6 balls.
The two wickets fell to one bowler. Timm van der Gugten took both wickets for the Netherlands. His figures at the time of writing were strong.
He had taken 2 wickets for 17 runs in 5 overs. One of those 5 overs was a maiden, which means no runs came from it.
Aryansh Sharma was the first batter out. He scored 15 runs from 21 balls. Noah Croes caught him off the bowling of van der Gugten.
Muhammad Shahdad was the second batter out. He was bowled by van der Gugten for 0 runs from 3 balls.
The score of 39 for 2 is simple to read. The first number is the runs scored. The second number is the wickets lost.
So the UAE had scored 39 runs and lost 2 batters after 10 overs.
The early wickets put pressure on the hosts. The Netherlands bowlers kept the run rate low in the first 10 overs. The run rate was 3.9 runs per over at that stage.
That is a slow start in a 50-over game.
Why it matters
This game is part of the road to the 2027 ODI World Cup. League 2 is a long competition. It helps decide which teams reach that World Cup.
NDTV Profit reports this link. Every win adds two points to the league table.
The two teams sit at opposite ends of the table. The Netherlands are third in the table. They have 17 wins, 11 losses, and 4 no-result games.
They have 38 points from 32 games. The table comes from Mr Cricket UAE.
The UAE are last in the eight-team table. They have 8 wins, 21 losses, and 3 no-result games. They have 19 points from 32 games.
A home win today would give their campaign a lift.
Recent form also favours the visitors. The Netherlands have won 3 of their last 4 League 2 games. Cricket World reports this form.
The UAE have lost all 3 of their last 3 completed League 2 games. Home conditions give the hosts one clear edge. They play this whole series in Dubai.
The head-to-head record is close. The two teams have met 5 times in this format, according to NDTV Profit. The Netherlands have won 3 of those games.
The UAE have won 2 of them. There has been no no-result game between them.
The captains are Rahul Chopra for the UAE and Bas de Leede for the Netherlands. Chopra is also the top run scorer for the UAE in League 2. He has scored 637 runs in the competition, according to Cricket World. Max O'Dowd leads the Netherlands run charts with 1004 runs.
The bowling charts tell a similar story. Junaid Siddique has taken 40 wickets for the UAE in League 2. Kyle Klein has taken 45 wickets for the Netherlands. Cricket World names Adeeb Usmani and Junaid Siddique as the UAE players to watch.
It names Colin Ackermann and Aryan Dutt as the Netherlands players to watch.
The Dubai ground also shapes the game. The average first innings total at the ICC Academy is 244 runs. Cricket World reports this figure for one-day games.
The average second innings total is 216 runs. Those numbers suggest a first innings total near 240 is a fair target. The team batting second may find the chase harder as the pitch wears.
What happens next
The game will continue through the day in Dubai. The UAE batters at the crease must build a total from the early wobble. The Netherlands bowlers will aim to take more wickets before the hosts settle.
The second innings will follow once the UAE innings ends.
Fans in India can follow the game on FanCode, according to NDTV Profit. The report says fans can watch on FanCode. Fans need an active subscription for the app and website.
It also says no TV broadcaster had been confirmed at the time of writing.
The tri-series gives both teams a quick rematch. The full fixture list was published by Emirates Cricket on October 22, 2026. Oman play the Netherlands on Tuesday, October 27. The UAE then play Oman on Thursday, October 29. The UAE and the Netherlands meet again on Saturday, October 31.
The series ends in the first week of November. The Netherlands play Oman on Tuesday, November 2. The UAE play Oman on Thursday, November 4. Each team plays the other twice in the series. All six games start at 9:30 in the morning Dubai time.
For readers who follow League 2 closely, this Dubai leg is a key stretch. The Netherlands can firm up third place with wins here. The UAE can climb off the bottom with a strong home run.
The tri-series format also means one bad day does not end a campaign. Each team has four more games after today.
A win today would give the hosts a strong start at home. It would add two points to their league total. It would also set the tone for their next game against Oman on October 29. A loss would leave them still chasing a first win in this Dubai leg.
Either way, the two teams meet again in Dubai on October 31. This rivalry has a fast sequel.
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