The ICC Men's T20 World Cup action continues as South Africa looks to solidify their dominance against UAE at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. While the Proteas are coming off a strong winning streak, UAE will be fighting for pride and an upset. With in form stars like Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock taking the field, this T20 clash offers massive fantasy potential. Here is everything you need to know to build your strategy for your fantasy contests.
Match Details
- Match: UAE vs SA
- Date: 18 Feb 2026
- Time: 11:00 IST
- Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Live Streaming & Broadcast Details
Fans can check the country wise official live streaming and TV broadcast details for this match. To know where you can watch live streaming in your country, visit this complete guide: ICC Men’s World Cup 2026 Live Streaming Channels – Country wise Guide
Weather Report
The weather in Delhi for this day match is expected to be pleasant with temperatures around 24°C. Since this is an 11:00 AM start, the Dew factor will not play a role in the second innings. Conditions will be dry, favoring batters initially, with no Rain impact expected.
Pitch Report & Venue Stats
The surface at Arun Jaitley Stadium has been a paradise for batters recently. The boundaries are short, and the ball comes onto the bat nicely.
- Avg Runs (Last 5 Matches): 179
- Pacer Wickets: 31
- Spinner Wickets: 28
Fantasy Takeaway: The pitch is balanced but leans towards high scores. Pacers have taken slightly more wickets, but Spinners are always in the game in Delhi during the middle overs. Load your fantasy teams with top order batters and death over bowlers.
Team Form & Head to-Head
South Africa (SA)
- Last 5 Matches: W W W L L
- Form: The Proteas are in red hot form, winning their last three matches convincingly.
- H2H: South Africa leads the head to-head record 1-0.
U.A.E. (UAE)
- Last 5 Matches: L W L L L
- Form: UAE has struggled, managing only one win in their last five outings.
Injury Updates & Player Availability
- South Africa: Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira are marked as unavailable. The rest of the squad is Fully fit.
- UAE: No major injury concerns reported. The team is likely to field their standard XI.
Probable Playing XI
South Africa
Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
U.A.E.
Aryansh Sharma, Muhammad Waseem, Alishan Sharafu, Shoaib Khan, Syed Haider Wasi Shah, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Farooq, Simranjeet Kang, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah
Key Players to Watch
- Aiden Markram: The Proteas skipper is in exceptional form, scoring 150 runs in the series with an average of 105.7 fantasy points. He is a must have for your fantasy contests.
- Marco Jansen: A dual threat asset. He has taken 7 wickets in the series and provides valuable lower order runs. His height extracts extra bounce at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
- Quinton de Kock: With 104 runs in the series and excellent glove work, he remains a safe pick for the wicketkeeper slot.
- Junaid Siddique: The standout bowler for UAE, picking up 7 wickets in the series. If UAE bowls first, he is crucial in the death overs.
- Shoaib Khan: UAE's most consistent batter with 126 runs in the series. He anchors the innings and can score big on this batting friendly track.
Fantasy Picks
Small League Safe Picks
- Aiden Markram
- Quinton de Kock
- Marco Jansen
- Ryan Rickelton
Mega League Differential Picks
- Lungi Ngidi: He has 8 wickets in the series and bowls in the death. If SA bowls first, he could be a game changer.
- Muhammad Waseem: A high risk, high reward opener. If he survives the powerplay, he can score rapidly on this ground.
Match Prediction / Outlook
Given the current form and squad depth, South Africa is the clear favorite to win. The conditions at Arun Jaitley Stadium suit their power hitters perfectly. However, UAE's bowlers could pick up early wickets if the Proteas are complacent.
Disclaimer
This analysis is based on statistics and current form. Always check the Final Playing XI and Toss updates before locking your fantasy team.