Asia Cup qualification in balance for UAE after shock loss to Kuwait

The UAE made a poor start to life under CP Rizwan’s captaincy after suffering a one-wicket loss to Kuwait in Oman.

The shock defeat in Muscat in the first game of the Asia Cup Qualifier means the national team are now in danger of missing out on fixtures against India and Pakistan on home soil.

The four-team event in Muscat has one place on offer at the main event in Dubai and Sharjah next week.

UAE now face Singapore on Monday and Hong Kong on Wednesday knowing only two victories will do - and even then it might potentially not be enough.

The manner of defeat matched the disrupted build-up to the series, during which Rizwan replaced Ahmed Raza as captain.

Raza had captained the national team in 26 of their 61 T20 internationals until this point.

In matches in which he had led, the side won 18 times. That included a run of eight wins in 10 games, which culminated in their qualification for the T20 World Cup next month.

The fact they have reached that point under his stewardship was all the more remarkable, given the context in which he received the armband.

The Sharjah-born spin-bowler took over a side in crisis, riven by the suspension of a raft of senior players on corruption charges.

He paid for a run of faltering form in a different format. Raza was replaced as captain after the UAE lost three one-day internationals on tour in Scotland this month – and yet has so far been retained in 50-over cricket.

Rizwan’s elevation to the captaincy was equally unforeseen. With an average of 16.66 and a strike-rate of 101 in the format, he had been out of the side since last year, and played no part in the qualifying process for the World Cup. He also has little captaincy experience of which to speak.

The decision to replace Raza with Rizwan in the day’s turnaround between the tour of Scotland and that of Oman was therefore a shock one.

It did appear to guarantee Rizwan a benevolent start, though. The UAE are ranked far higher than any of their opponents at the Qualifier in Muscat, with Kuwait, their opening day opponents, 15 places below them in the ICC standings.

Their superiority showed at the start, as Chirag Suri and Muhammad Waseem shared 78 in under nine overs for the first wicket.

Suri and Vriitya Aravind were then reunited at the site of many of their past successes, as they had an alliance worth 81 for the second wicket.

The UAE’s tally of 173 for five from their 20 overs should have been beyond Kuwait, but they rallied brilliantly.

They were well-placed after starting their innings with a 52-run stand for the first wicket.

Although the chase stuttered after Ravija Sandaruwan went for 34, Kuwait refused to be cowed.

They made it across the winning line with a ball to spare, as Mohammed Shafeeq hit the penultimate ball of the game to the boundary rope.

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer