Chennai, Feb 17 (IANS) In a sensational display of power-hitting , Canada posted a formidable total of 173/4 against New Zealand, courtesy of an impressive innings from Yuvraj Samra and a solid supporting effort from captain Dilpreet Bajwa.

The innings began cautiously, with Samra and Bajwa carefully negotiating the early overs against New Zealand’s pace duo of Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy. Samra, 19, quickly found his rhythm, dispatching Henry for consecutive fours to reach the first boundary for Canada, while Bajwa joined in to keep the scoreboard ticking. The pair expertly rotated the strike, gradually accelerating as the innings progressed.

By the end of the powerplay, Canada had raced to 50 without loss, with Samra already looking in ominous touch. It was during this period that Samra’s fluency became apparent; his precise placement and powerful lofted drives troubled New Zealand’s fielders when he cleared the ropes with a massive 87-metre six, announcing his intent to dominate.

Samra’s innings was historic. At 19 years and 141 days, he became the youngest batter to score a fifty in T20 World Cup history, surpassing the likes of Junaid Siddique and Umar Akmal. He didn’t stop there, going on to reach a 58-ball century, the first by a batter from an Associate nation in T20 World Cups, surpassing notable benchmarks set by full-member nations. His innings included 11 boundaries and six sixes, combining elegance with explosive power.

Bajwa played the perfect foil, supporting Samra while also contributing aggressively when required. He brought up 36 runs off 39 balls, ensuring Canada maintained momentum and built pressure on New Zealand. The pair’s 116-run partnership was not just Canada’s highest opening stand in the tournament but also the highest by an Associate team against a full-member nation in T20 World Cup history, eclipsing previous records.

Despite New Zealand fighting back in the final overs with wickets from Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy, Canada’s lower-order hitters, including Harsh Thaker and Dilon Heyliger, added valuable quickfire runs. Heyliger made an immediate impact, clearing the ropes with his first ball, while Thaker rotated strike efficiently to take the total past the 170-run mark, setting a challenging target for the hosts.

Brief Scores: Canada 173/4 in 20 overs (Yuvraj Samra 110, Dilpreet Bajwa 36; Jacob Duffy 1-25, Matt Henry 1-28) against New Zealand

–IANS

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