Video of the Day: T20 World Cup 2026 - Yuvraj Samra stuns New Zealand with record ton in Chennai

At the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, 19-year-old Yuvraj Samra, playing his first-ever T20 World Cup match, stunned New Zealand with his impressive 110 off 65 balls, guiding Canada to 173/4 in 20 overs, their second-highest total in T20 World Cup history, and marked the first century by an Associate batter in a men’s T20 World Cup.

Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Samra started slowly, managing just three runs off his first five deliveries. In the final over of the powerplay, Samra tore into James Neesham, smashing boundaries and a huge six.

Captain Dilpreet Bajwa played the perfect supporting role, anchoring one end with a 36 off 39 balls. While Bajwa rotated strike, Samra dominated the bowlers. The pair stitched together a 116-run opening stand, the highest first-wicket partnership by an Associate side against a Full Member in a men’s T20 World Cup.

Watch the video below:

Samra reached his half-century in just 36 balls, becoming the youngest player to score a fifty in tournament history. He cleared the ropes six times, equalling the joint-most sixes by an Associate batter against a Full Member in a T20 World Cup innings. His century came off just 58 deliveries. At 19 years and 141 days, he became the youngest centurion in men’s T20 World Cup history. Notably, Samra was even dropped on 103, but eventually fell for 110 in the penultimate over. After Bajwa’s dismissal, Navneet Dhaliwal chipped in with a 10, while Dilon Heyliger’s late cameo of 8 off 3 balls ensured Canada finished at 173/4. 

"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.