CHENNAI: Afghanistan concluded their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 journey with a 82-run victory over Canada in their last group match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.
Set to chase a daunting 201-run target, Canada’s batting unit could yield 118/8 in 20 overs despite 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, while Saad made an anchoring 28 off 26 deliveries.
Besides them, only openers Yuvraj Samra (17), captain Dilpreet Bajwa (13) and middle-order batter Nicholas Kirton (10) could amass double figures against the disciplined Afghanistan bowling attack, led by experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, who bagged four wickets for just seven runs in his four overs.
Nabi was supported by skipper Rashid Khan, who picked up two wickets, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa’s decision to field first backfired as Zadran-led Afghanistan batting unit piled up 200/4 in their 20 overs.
Afghanistan got off to a decent start to their innings, with their opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Zadran putting together 47 runs inside the batting powerplay until Jaskaran Singh got rid of the former on the third delivery of the sixth over.
Jaskaran struck again in the same over, dismissing Gulbadin Naib for one, and reduced Afghanistan further to 49/2 at the powerplay mark.
Following the back-to-back blows, Sediqullah Atal joined Zadran in the middle, and the duo put Afghanistan into a commanding position by knitting a 95-run partnership for the third wicket.
The crucial stand eventually culminated in the 16th over when Atal fell victim to Jaskaran and walked back after scoring 44 off 32 deliveries with the help of two sixes and as many fours.
Zadran was then involved in a brief 32-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Azmatullah Omarzai, who was dismissed by Dilon Heyliger in the penultimate over after making a seven-ball 13.
The right-handed opener then shared a one-sided 25-run partnership with Darwish Rasooli (four not out) and ensured breaching the 200-run barrier for Afghanistan with an unbeaten 95 off just 56 deliveries, studded with seven fours and five sixes.
For his monumental knock, Zadran was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Jaskaran remained the leading wicket-taker for Canada with three scalps, but was expensive as he conceded 52 runs in his four overs, while Heyliger struck once.
