In a thrilling finale to their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, Afghanistan crushed Canada by 82 runs at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. Mohammad Nabi stole the show with a mesmerizing spell of 4 wickets for just 7 runs in 4 overs, capping off a dominant performance that saw the Afghans end on a high note.
Afghanistan’s batsmen set the tone early, racing to 200 for 4 in their 20 overs. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran laid a solid foundation with a quick 47-run stand in just 5.3 overs. Gurbaz smashed 30 off 20 balls, including five boundaries, before falling, followed swiftly by Gulbadin Naib for a duck.
At 49 for 2, Sedikullah Atal joined Zadran to stitch a crucial 95-run partnership off 59 balls for the third wicket. Atal’s aggressive 44 came off 32 deliveries, featuring two sixes and two fours. Zadran then anchored the innings, remaining unbeaten on a magnificent 95 from 56 balls, laced with 7 fours and 5 sixes. He added 31 with Azmatullah Omarzai (13) and 25 with Dervesh Rasooli (4 not out). Canada’s Jaskaran Singh claimed 3 wickets, with Dillon Heyliger picking one.
Chasing 201, Canada crumbled to 118 for 8. Openers Yuvraj Samra and skipper Dilpreet Bajwa managed only 25 in 2.2 overs before Bajwa departed for 13 off 7, including two sixes. Samra added 17, but by 48 for 5, the chase was in tatters.
Saad Bin Zafar and Harsh Thaker offered some resistance with a 53-run stand off 37 balls for the sixth wicket, pushing the score past 100. Thaker made 30 off 24, Zafar 28, but it wasn’t enough. Nabi’s devastating burst dismantled the middle order, while Rashid Khan snared 2 wickets. Afghanistan’s comprehensive victory marked a strong close to their tournament journey.