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Afghanistan concluded their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on a high note, registering a dominant 82-run win over Canada in their final Group D fixture in Chennai on February 19.
Afghanistan end T20 World Cup campaign on a high
Although the match had no bearing on the tournament’s next stage, Ibrahim Zadran ensured it was a memorable outing for the Afghan fans. The opener played a masterful, unbeaten innings of 95 off 56 deliveries, anchoring the side with a mix of aggressive strokeplay that included seven boundaries and five sixes.
Ibrahim Zadra burns bright with 95-run heroics
Zadran found a reliable partner in Sediqullah Atal, with the duo combining for a formidable 95-run stand for the third wicket. Atal’s brisk 44 helped maintain the momentum after Canada’s Jaskaran Singh briefly threatened to derail the innings with a double-strike in the sixth over. This collective effort propelled Afghanistan to a total of 200/4, marking the first time the nation has reached the 200-run milestone in their T20 World Cup history.
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Mohammad Nabi's four-fer breaks Canada's back
In response, Canada’s chase never truly gained traction as they were dismantled by Afghanistan’s experienced bowling attack. Canada’s pursuit of the 201-run target never truly found its rhythm, stumbling early after captain Dilpreet Bajwa was dismissed for a quick-fire 13 in the third over. The Afghan bowlers capitalized on this opening, reducing the visitors to a precarious 33 for three within the powerplay. Veteran off-spinner Mohammad Nabi was central to this early destruction, claiming the vital wickets of Yuvraj Samra and Nicholas Kirton to leave the Canadian top order in tatters.
The pressure intensified as Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai joined the attack, with Mujeeb clean-bowling Bajwa and Omarzai removing Navneet Dhaliwal in his final international appearance. While Harsh Thaker and Saad Bin Zafar attempted a mid-innings rescue with a resilient 53-run partnership for the sixth wicket, they were unable to keep pace with a soaring required run rate.
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Ultimately, Afghanistan's spin duo of Nabi and Rashid Khan proved insurmountable. Nabi finished with exceptional career-best figures of 4/7, while Rashid tightened the grip with two wickets of his own. Facing a mounting asking rate and losing wickets at regular intervals, Canada’s resistance crumbled, allowing Afghanistan to secure a clinical 82-run victory to sign off their World Cup campaign.
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