Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman celebrates taking a wicket with teammates throughout their ICC Males’s T20 World Cup match towards Canada on the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on February 19, 2026. — ICC
CHENNAI: Afghanistan concluded their ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 journey with a 82-run victory over Canada of their final group match on the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.
Set to chase a frightening 201-run goal, Canada’s batting unit may yield 118/8 in 20 overs regardless of a valiant 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Harsh Thaker and Saad Bin Zafar.
Thaker remained the top-scorer with a brisk 30 off 24 deliveries, whereas Saad made an anchoring 28 off 26 deliveries.
Apart from them, solely openers Yuvraj Samra (17), captain Dilpreet Bajwa (13) and middle-order batter Nicholas Kirton (10) may amass double figures towards the disciplined Afghanistan bowling assault, led by skilled all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, who bagged 4 wickets for simply seven runs in his 4 overs.
Nabi was supported by skipper Rashid Khan, who picked up two wickets, whereas Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa’s determination to discipline first backfired as Zadran-led Afghanistan batting unit piled up 200/4 of their 20 overs.
Afghanistan obtained off to an honest begin to their innings, with their opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Zadran placing collectively 47 runs contained in the batting powerplay till Jaskaran Singh removed the previous on the third supply of the sixth over.
Jaskaran struck once more in the identical over, dismissing Gulbadin Naib for one, and diminished Afghanistan additional to 49/2 on the powerplay mark.
The essential stand finally culminated within the sixteenth over when Atal fell sufferer to Jaskaran and walked again after scoring 44 off 32 deliveries with the assistance of two sixes and as many fours.
Zadran was then concerned in a short 32-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Azmatullah Omarzai, who was dismissed by Dilon Heyliger within the penultimate over after making a seven-ball 13.
The fitting-handed opener then shared a one-sided 25-run partnership with Darwish Rasooli (4 not out) and ensured breaching the 200-run barrier for Afghanistan with an unbeaten 95 off simply 56 deliveries, studded with seven fours and 5 sixes.
For his monumental knock, Zadran was adjudged the Participant of the Match.
Jaskaran remained the main wicket-taker for Canada with three scalps, however was costly as he conceded 52 runs in his 4 overs, whereas Heyliger struck as soon as.
