ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
T20 WC: Samra’s ton guides Canada to 173/4 against New Zealand
At 19 years and 141 days, he became the youngest batter to score a fifty in T20 World Cup history.
-
IANS - Tue, 17, Feb 2026
- 03:29 EST
- 24
Canada's Yuvraj Samra celebrates with captain Dilpreet Bajwa after scoring a half-century during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Group D match between New Zealand and Canada at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. / IANS/Kushal Doshi
In a sensational display of power-hitting, Canada posted a formidable 173/4 against New Zealand, courtesy of an impressive innings from Yuvraj Samra and a solid supporting effort from captain Dilpreet Bajwa.
The innings began cautiously, with Samra and Bajwa carefully negotiating the early overs against New Zealand’s pace duo of Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy. Samra, 19, quickly found his rhythm, dispatching Henry for consecutive fours to register Canada’s first boundary, while Bajwa joined in to keep the scoreboard ticking. The pair expertly rotated the strike, gradually accelerating as the innings progressed.
ALSO READ: T20 WC: Abhishek Sharma added to India squad
By the end of the powerplay, Canada had raced to 50 without loss, with Samra already looking in ominous touch. It was during this period that his fluency became apparent; his precise placement and powerful lofted drives troubled New Zealand’s fielders when he cleared the ropes with a massive 87-metre six, announcing his intent to dominate.
Samra’s innings was historic. At 19 years and 141 days, he became the youngest batter to score a fifty in T20 World Cup history, surpassing Junaid Siddique and Umar Akmal. He did not stop there, reaching a 58-ball century — the first by a batter from an Associate nation in T20 World Cups — surpassing notable benchmarks set by full-member nations. His innings included 11 boundaries and six sixes, combining elegance with explosive power.
Bajwa played the perfect foil, supporting Samra while also contributing aggressively when required. He scored 36 off 39 balls, ensuring Canada maintained momentum and built pressure on New Zealand. The pair’s 116-run partnership was not just Canada’s highest opening stand in the tournament but also the highest by an Associate team against a full-member nation in T20 World Cup history, eclipsing previous records.
Despite New Zealand fighting back in the final overs with wickets from Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy, Canada’s lower-order batters, including Harsh Thaker and Dilon Heyliger, added valuable quickfire runs. Heyliger made an immediate impact, clearing the ropes off his first ball, while Thaker rotated the strike efficiently to push the total past the 170-run mark, setting a challenging target for the hosts.
Brief scores: Canada 173/4 in 20 overs (Yuvraj Samra 110, Dilpreet Bajwa 36; Jacob Duffy 1-25, Matt Henry 1-28) against New Zealand.
Discover more on NewIndiaAbroad
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login