Afghanistan and Canada will face off in Match 39 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday (February 19) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with both teams already eliminated from Super 8 contention.
Afghanistan’s campaign unravelled after heartbreaking defeats – a double Super Over loss to South Africa followed by a setback against New Zealand. Though they bounced back against UAE, the 2024 semi-finalists couldn’t replicate their heroics. Canada, meanwhile, have lost all three matches but produced the tournament’s defining moment when 19-year-old Yuvraj Samra became the youngest centurion in T20 World Cup history against New Zealand .
In the upcoming game, Afghanistan are expected to field a strong XI, with Rashid Khan leading the attack alongside Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who narrowly missed winning the South Africa game, will look to sign off with runs. On the other hand, Canada will likely retain Samra at the top, with former captain Navneet Dhaliwal featuring in his farewell appearance.
AFG vs CAN, T20 World Cup 2026: Match Details
- Date and Time: February 19 (Thursday); 7:00 pm IST / 1:30 pm GMT
- Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
AFG vs CAN, Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
Matches played: 02 | Afghanistan won: 02 | Canada won: 0
MA Chidambaram Stadium Pitch Report
The MA Chidambaram Stadium has long been known as a venue where spinners thrive, thanks to the grip and turn the surface provides. Afghanistan, with their strong spin attack, are well equipped to make life difficult for batters in these conditions. The pitch is expected to assist bowlers right from the start, meaning run-scoring won’t be easy and patience will be key for anyone at the crease.
For Afghanistan, the ideal plan would be to build pressure through tight, consistent spin, force errors, and cut off easy scoring options. Canada, meanwhile, also have capable slow bowlers along with seamers who can mix up their pace cleverly, adding another layer of challenge for batters.
All signs point to a contest dominated by spin, where discipline with the ball could matter more than power with the bat.
Squads
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan(c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Ishaq, Shahidullah Kamal
Canada: Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Harsh Thaker, Dilon Heyliger, Shreyas Movva (wk), Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Jaskaran Singh, Ansh Patel, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Ajayveer Hundal, Kaleem Sana, Ravinderpal Singh
AFG vs CAN, T20 World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- Afghanistan wins the toss and bowls first
- Canada’s powerplay score: 40-50 (6 overs)
- Canada’s total score: 150-160
Case 2:
- Canada wins the toss and bats first
- Afghanistan’s powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
- Afghanistan’s total score: 180-190
Match result: Afghanistan to win the contest.
