WATCH: Wrong Anthem Played Twice, UAE Players Exit Opening Ceremony

Pranvit Singh Dang

Modified - Apr 20, 2026, 02:33 PM

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The United Arab Emirates tour of Nepal 2026 finally began on April 20, 2026 with the first T20I being played at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. The Nepal vs UAE 2026 has been featuring some of the best associate players who have shown their best game at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 against some of the best cricket teams in the world.

As this was the first match of the T20I series, both teams lined up before the match for the national anthems as a ritual before any international game. However, an unusual thing happened during the match when wrong anthem during Nepal vs UAE was played before the match. This made fans wanted to know that why this happened or what was the reason behind it.

Watch: Wrong Anthem During Nepal vs UAE

A major controversy unfolded during the opening ceremony of the Nepal vs UAE fixture after the UAE national anthem was played incorrectly not once, but twice. Following the completion of Nepal’s anthem, it was UAE’s turn. However, after a brief delay, the first anthem played was reportedly incorrect and was stopped after around 30 seconds when players raised concerns. Despite the interruption and communication with officials, a second attempt also turned out to be the wrong anthem.

The repeated error left UAE players visibly frustrated, prompting them to walk off the ceremony. Captain Mohammad Waseem appeared particularly upset as he made his way back to the dugout along with his teammates. The incident has sparked criticism and raised questions about the organization of the ceremony, with calls for the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) to issue a clarification at the earliest.

Former PBKS Players Made Debut For UAE

During the Nepal vs UAE 206 T20I match, there are two former Punjab Kings players who made debut for the UAE. Harpreet Singh Bhatia and Akshdeep Nath are the players who were part of the Punjab Kings in the IPL and is now representing UAE at the international level. These players were part of those 5 players who become the first cricketers to be granted UAE citizenship through naturalisation.