In a stunning display of talent, 19-year-old Yuvraj Samra of Indian origin has etched his name in T20 World Cup history. Representing Canada, the prodigy smashed a breathtaking century at just 19 years and 141 days old, becoming the youngest ever to achieve this feat in the tournament.
Samra’s explosive knock came off 65 balls, featuring 11 fours and 6 sixes, as he piled up 110 runs. This masterful innings not only propelled Canada to a competitive total but also saw him surpass Pakistan’s Ahmad Shehzad, who held the previous record at 22 years and 127 days during the 2014 edition against Bangladesh.
India’s Suresh Raina sits third on the list with his 2010 century against South Africa at 23 years and 156 days. England’s Alex Hales and New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips follow in fourth and fifth places respectively. But Samra’s achievement doesn’t stop there—he’s also the youngest to score a T20 World Cup fifty, eclipsing Bangladesh’s Junaid Siddique.
This innings stands as the highest individual score by an associate nation player in the tournament, overtaking USA’s Aaron Jones’s unbeaten 94 against Canada earlier this year. Scotland’s Michael Jones and George Munsey trail behind with scores of 86 and 84.
Batting first at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Canada posted 173/4, thanks largely to Samra’s brilliance. New Zealand chased it down comfortably in 15.1 overs with eight wickets intact.
Hailing from a Punjabi family, Samra was born on September 29, 2006, in Brampton, Ontario. His father, Baljeet Singh, migrated from Punjab and named him after Indian cricket icon Yuvraj Singh, whom the young batter idolizes. This historic knock signals the rise of a new global star from associate cricket ranks.