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Teenager Yuvraj Samra’s record-breaking 110 ended up in losing cause as New Zealand stormed into ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage with an eight-wicket win over Canada at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on February 17. New Zealand chased down the target of 174 with 29 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand.
Yuvraj’s record-breaking century, lack of support
Canada skipper Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and opted to bat first. Canada got off to a cautious start. In the sixth over, Yuvraj broke the shackles with three fours and a six off James Neesham. Canada were 50 for no loss after powerplay overs. Yuvraj got to his fifty from 36 balls in the 11th over.
In the 13th over, an unwell Mitchell Santner's replacement, Cole McConchie took a beating. Samra hit him for two sixes and a four. In the 14th over, Kyle Jamieson got the breakthrough with Bajwa's wicket. The skipper scored 36 runs from 39 balls in the 116-run opening partnership.
On the last ball of the 17th over, Yuvraj got to his century from 58 balls. He became the youngest centurion in the history of T20 World Cups and first for an associate nation. In the 18th over, Matt Henry dismissed Navneet Dhaliwal. Nicholas Kirton failed to make a mark as Neesham got the better of him in the penultimate over. Duffy bowled the final over and ended Yuvraj's entertaining stay at the crease. He scored 110 runs from 65 balls, including 11 fours and a six. Dilon Heyliger hit a first-ball six. Canada could post 173/4 on the board despite Yuvraj's century.
New Zealand lose wickets but start well in run chase
Canada pacer Jaskaran Singh erred with his line and length, giving away 14 runs in the first over. Heyliger took a beating too, conceding 15 runs. Saad Bin Zafar made an impact with the wicket of Tim Seifert who scored just six runs from 10 balls. Then Heyliger ended Finn Allen's cameo. He scored 21 runs from eight balls. Rachin Ravindra hit boundaries as New Zealand were 60/2 after powerplay overs.
Phillips, Ravindra make run chase look easy
Phillips got into the act and dominated in the middle overs. Canada had no answers to a rampaging Phillips who raced to his fifty from just 22 balls, quickest for New Zealand in T20 World Cups. Ravindra and Phillips turned it into a one-sided contest. In the 15th over, Ravindra reached his fifty from 35 balls. In the next over, Ravindra finished the run chase with a boundary.
They shared an unbeaten 146-run partnership for the third wicket. Phillips hit six sixes and four fours in his 36-ball 76. On the other end, Ravindra's unbeaten 39-ball 59 featured four fours and three sixes.
New Zealand’s next game
New Zealand are set to play their first Super 8 game on February 21 at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Pakistan are likely to take them on until and unless Namibia pull off an upset.
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