The 11th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium witnessed a moment of pure fielding sorcery that has likely already secured its place in the tournament’s “All-Time Greats” reel. On a humid Tuesday night in Chennai, during a critical Group D clash between New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell combined for a breathtaking relay catch that effectively altered the momentum of the game.
T20 WC 2026: Mark Chapman an Daryl Mitchell’s spectacular relay grab removes inform Alishan Sharafu
The UAE, having chosen to bat first, were cruising toward a massive total. The partnership between skipper Muhammad Waseem and the set Alishan Sharafu had become a major headache for Mitchell Santner’s men. However, the game changed in the 15th over. Santner, searching for a breakthrough, tossed one up wide outside off-stump. Sharafu, who was batting beautifully on 55 off 47 balls, unleashed a thunderous slog sweep that seemed destined for the deep midwicket stands.
Enter Chapman. Sprinting along the boundary edge, Chapman intercepted the ball inches from the rope. Realizing his momentum was carrying him over the cushions, he displayed elite spatial awareness, tossing the ball back into the field of play just as his feet touched the turf outside. Mitchell, lurking nearby as the secondary safety net, calmly collected the lob to complete the dismissal. The Chennai crowd erupted as the replay showed Chapman’s mid-air acrobatics, ending Sharafu’s dangerous charge and breaking a century-stand that had put New Zealand on the ropes.
Here’s the video:
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Also READ: Top 5 Associate Nations with most wins in T20 World Cup ft. Netherlands
UAE defies odds with a formidable total against New Zealand
Despite the brilliance of the Chapman-Mitchell relay, the United Arab Emirates proved they are no pushovers on the world stage. They finished their 20 overs with a highly competitive 173/6, a total that left the Black Caps staring at a stiff chase on a surface starting to offer some grip.
The UAE innings was built on the back of two stellar half-centuries. While Aryansh Sharma fell early for 8 to Jacob Duffy, Waseem and Sharafu anchored the innings with a 107-run partnership for the second wicket. Waseem remained the cornerstone of the innings, finishing unbeaten on 66 off 45 balls, peppered with three boundaries and four towering sixes.
The match flow showed the UAE’s dominance in the middle overs, reaching 100 runs in just 12.1 overs. Even as the Kiwis attempted to claw back via the Sharafu dismissal, a quickfire 21 from Mayank Kumar ensured the scoring rate didn’t plummet. New Zealand’s bowling figures told a tale of two halves: Santner was the pick of the bunch, conceding only 23 runs in his four overs, while Matt Henry picked up two late wickets to stem the flow. However, with a target of 174, the win probability sits on a knife-edge, proving that the “Associate” tag no longer defines the competitive fire of this UAE squad.
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