While chasing, Canada lost half of its side within nine overs. Mohammad Nabi (4/7 in 4 overs) and Rashid Khan (2/19 in 4 overs) demolished Canada’s top and middle order. Harsh Thaker and Saad Bin Zafar showed brief resistance and added 53 runs for the sixth wicket.
Canada finished on 118/8 in 20 overs against Afghanistan’s superb bowling attack. Afghanistan ended their campaign on a positive note, while Canada remained at the bottom of Group D.
Ibrahim Zadran smashed an unbeaten 95, while Mohammad Nabi produced a stunning 4 for 7. The victory gave Afghanistan a strong finish to the tournament and marked the end of Jonathan Trott’s time as head coach on a high note.
Afghanistan Post a Record Total
Afghanistan set Canada a challenging target of 201. Canada’s captain Dilpreet Bajwa chose to bowl first, expecting dew later in the evening to help the chase. The decision made sense. However, poor fielding hurt Canada badly. Two dropped catches alone cost them 62 runs.
Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz added 47 runs for the first wicket. Gurbaz got an early lifeline when wicketkeeper Shreyas Movva dropped a high catch in the second over. Gurbaz was on 7 at that time. He later scored 30 before Jaskaran Singh dismissed him. Singh struck twice in four balls, also removing Gulbadin Naib for 1 at the end of the powerplay.
Canada missed another big chance when Kaleem Sana dropped Zadran on 54 at long-on. The catch would have given Ansh Patel a deserved wicket. Instead, Zadran carried on confidently. He received strong support from Sediqullah Atal, who scored 44 during the middle overs. Zadran reached his half-century in just 33 balls, his 16th in T20 internationals.
In the final over, Zadran struck two boundaries off the last two balls. Afghanistan finished on 200 for 4, their highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup.
Canada’s Chase Falls Apart
Canada never looked settled in their chase. Navneet Dhaliwal, playing his last T20I before retirement, got out for a five-ball duck. Yuvraj Samra, who had earlier hit 110 against New Zealand, managed only 17 despite starting with a boundary.
Harsh Thaker scored 30 and Saad Bin Zafar made 28. They tried to rebuild, but Afghanistan stayed in control throughout. The target proved far too big.
Zadran’s Confident Comeback
Zadran’s innings stood out for both skill and composure. Apart from the dropped catch in the 15th over, he batted almost flawlessly. He quickly responded to that mistake by smashing the next ball for six over extra cover.
Earlier in the tournament, he struggled. He scored 10 off 12 balls against New Zealand and 12 off 10 in normal play against South Africa. However, his 53 against UAE showed signs of recovery. This 95 confirmed his return to top form.
He passed Gurbaz’s previous T20 World Cup best of 84 for Afghanistan. With two balls left, he moved past his earlier highest T20I score of 87 not out. A powerful slash over third man took him to a new personal best before he ended with a classy shot through cover. "I did try," he said about missing out on what would have been Afghanistan’s first T20 World Cup century and his maiden T20I hundred. Even without those extra five runs, it was a brilliant knock that thrilled the 18,393 fans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Zadran’s Tribute to Trott
After receiving the Player-of-the-Match award, Zadran made a touching gesture. He handed the award to Trott.
"I want to dedicate this Player of the Match to coach Jonathan Trott," said Zadran. "He has encouraged all the players, supported us. Under his coaching we've had a lot of achievement in ICC events... I wish him all the best for his future. I will miss him - we will all miss him."
Trott became Afghanistan’s head coach in July 2022. Under him, the team improved greatly in ICC tournaments. They reached the semi-finals in the previous T20 World Cup. Many expected another strong run in 2026. However, a dramatic double Super Over defeat to South Africa ended their Super Eight hopes.
Still, wins over UAE and Canada showed their resilience after early losses to New Zealand and South Africa. As the players hugged Trott on the field, they celebrated their shared progress and growth.
Nabi Defies Age Again
Trott’s exit also raised questions about the future of senior players like Nabi. At 41, he remains a key figure in Afghanistan cricket. He nearly took a five-wicket haul against Canada. Gurbaz missed a catch that would have given him figures of 5 for 6.
Despite that, Nabi stayed cheerful. Earlier, Gurbaz had almost spilled a catch off Abdollah Ahmadzai’s bowling, but it was held. That wicket made Nabi, at 41 years and 49 days, the oldest player to take a four-wicket haul in any ICC tournament.
He bowled 17 dot balls in his four overs, showing sharp game awareness. After the match, he even shared advice with Canadian batters.
Nabi may still aim to play the next T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, where he would be 43. He also hopes to one day play international cricket alongside his son, Hassan Eisakhil.
For now, Afghanistan signed off their campaign with pride. Zadran’s masterclass and Nabi’s experience ensured they ended on a powerful note.
