Canada's Yuvraj Samra celebrates after scoring a century (100 runs) during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 between New Zealand and Canada in Chennai on Tuesday. (PTI Photo/R SenthilKumar)
Chennai: New Zealand’s top-order batters Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips scored unbeaten half-centuries to guide their team to an eight-wicket win over Canada in a T20 World Cup Group D match here on Tuesday.
After young Canadian opener Yuvraj Samra played a defiant 110 off 65 balls, featuring 11 boundaries and six sixes to help his side post a challenging 173 for 4, New Zealand’s experienced batters made chasing the target look easy.
They overhauled it in 15.1 overs, with Ravindra scoring an unbeaten 59 runs off 39 balls and Phillips contributing 77 not out off 36 balls. Their partnership yielded 146 runs for the third wicket.
Earlier, 19-year-old Samra blazed 110, while skipper Dilpreet Bajwa added 36, forging a 116-run opening stand that kept the Kiwi bowlers at bay.
The 19-year-old Samra became the youngest batter to score a hundred in T20 World Cup history.
Brief scores: Canada 173 for 4 in 20 overs (Yuvraj Samra 110, Dilpreet Bajwa 36; Kyle Jamieson 1/41).
New Zealand 176 for 2 in 15.1 overs (Rachin Ravindra 59 not out, Glenn Phillips 76 not out).
Till Tuesday morning, Yuvraj Samra pursued cricket because of his passion for the sport, but after his record 65-ball-110, the 19-year-old from Brampton is now hopeful of making a “living out of the game.”
Named after India’s white-ball legend Yuvraj Singh by his cricket-mad father Baljit Samra, the teenager became the youngest to score a ton in a T20 World Cup game and also the first from an Associate nation to achieve the milestone.
“I feel like this inning could change my life. I can actually make a good living out of this sport, especially being from Canada and I feel like it can be a real dream come true,” Samra told reporters after his knock went in vain against a marauding New Zealand line-up.
Samra struck 11 fours and half a dozen sixes during his whirlwind effort, which became the foundation of his team’s 173-run total against the higher-ranked opponents.
He was dismissed in the final over while attempting another big hit against Jacob Duffy.
Samra believes strongly in manifestation and feels this moment is his destiny, so he can at least try his luck in T20 leagues across the globe now.
“Yes, I’ve always been thinking about this moment, day and night, every day. I just want to make a name in this World Cup and make a living out of this sport, especially being from Canada,” he said.
Samra underlined how difficult it is to fine-tune his skills back home, where cricket is a three-month vocation.
“In Canada, it’s not that easy because we only get three months to play as there’s like minus 25 or minus 30 degree weather, so it’s really hard. We try to come out to countries like Sri Lanka, which have good weather.
“But I feel like we have good management, they back us, they take us on pre-tournament tours, and we get good preparation there.”
His father has been a constant source of encouragement, and Samra was sad that he couldn’t make it to Chennai to witness the most eventful day in his son’s fledgling career.
“I feel like in my cricketing journey, my dad plays the biggest role. I really wish he were here watching this game, but all the credit goes to my dad.”
Getting a standing ovation from the Chennai crowd of around 16,000 was also a special feeling.
“The moment I stepped onto this ground, I was just like, wow, playing at this type of venue is amazing, because we never get to play at these type of grounds, especially in Canada, or anywhere in the world. So it’s just a great feeling,” he concluded.
This post was last modified on February 17, 2026 5:40 pm