19-year-old Yuvraj Samra made a dream debut at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, scoring a brilliant 110 off 65 balls in his first-ever T20 World Cup match. His knock helped Canada reach 173/4 in 20 overs, their second-highest total in T20 World Cup history. It was also the first century by an Associate batter in a men’s T20 World Cup.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Samra began cautiously, scoring just three runs from his first five balls. But in the last over of the powerplay, he attacked James Neesham, hitting multiple boundaries and a big six.
Captain Dilpreet Bajwa supported him well, scoring 36 off 39 balls and holding one end steady. While Bajwa focused on rotating the strike, Samra played the attacking role. Together, they put on a 116-run opening partnership – the highest first-wicket stand by an Associate team against a Full Member side in a men’s T20 World Cup.
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A HISTORIC MILESTONE! 🙌
Canada’s Yuvraj Samra creates history with a breathtaking century, becoming the youngest centurion in T20Is! 🫡
ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup | #NZvCAN | LIVE NOW ➡️ https://t.co/uuKxoyS6gX pic.twitter.com/bCbK9u8AIq
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 17, 2026
Samra completed his fifty off 36 balls to become the youngest half-centurion in the history of the tournament. He cleared the ropes six times, joint most by an Associate batter versus a Full Member in a T20 World Cup innings. He brought up his century in just 58 balls. It made him the youngest centurion in men’s T20 World Cup history, at 19 years and 141 days. Most significantly, Samra was even caught on 103, though he eventually lost his wicket for 110 with seven balls left. Following Bajwa’s departure, Navneet Dhaliwal contributed with a 10 and Dilon Heyliger chipped in with a late cameo of 8 off just three balls as Canada ended their innings at 173 for four.
“Honestly, I manifested this moment ever since we qualified for the World Cup. Every single day, I dreamed about scoring a hundred on this stage. To do it here, in my first appearance, and as the youngest player in this World Cup – it’s truly a dream come true. (On him being named after Yuvraj Singh and on having gone past his highest T20 World Cup score) It feels incredible. There are so many emotions right now, I can’t really put them into words. Yuvraj Singh is someone I’ve looked up to since I was a kid, so to even be mentioned in the same breath is special. I just wish my dad was here today watching me from back home – this one’s for him. (On the surface) The wicket was a bit slow and the ball was sticking slightly. I felt it was important to pick the right deliveries to attack and not force shots. Once I got set, I focused on timing rather than power. I think bowling into the pitch and mixing the pace will be key on this surface – it’s not the easiest track for free-flowing strokeplay, so you’ve got to adapt,” Samra said after his knock.
