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Key Takeaways
- 1📊 Bajwa's T20I strike rate: 133.22 with 4 fifties
- 2🏆 Canada's 2nd T20 World Cup; Group D with SA, NZ, AFG, UAE
- 3💡 Samra's 27 sixes in 15 T20Is at 160.72 SR
- 4🔮 Super Eights push starts vs South Africa on Feb 9 in Ahmedabad
"This will be Canada's second appearance at a T20 World Cup, having participated in the 2024 edition"
Dilpreet Bajwa steps up as the young gun leading Canada into the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Turning 23 this month, the explosive opener brings fresh fire to a side chasing glory in their second successive appearance after the 2024 edition. With India defending their crown against USA in Mumbai on February 7, Canada gears up for a tough Group D clash alongside South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and UAE.
Bajwa's Big-Hitting Rise
Bajwa's captaincy debut comes packed with promise. He's smashed four half-centuries in 17 T20Is at a blistering strike rate of 133.22, proving he's no stranger to chaos. Remember his Super 60 T10 fireworks last October? 57 off 18 and an unbeaten 68 off 22 – pure carnage that has Canadian fans dreaming big. Teammate Yuvraj Samra, another opener, crushes it with 27 sixes in 15 T20I innings and a strike rate touching 160.72. The squad blends experience from former skipper Saad Bin Zafar and pacer Kaleem Sana, setting up an underdog story in a group stacked with giants.
Canada faces South Africa first on February 9 in Ahmedabad, then New Zealand on February 17 in Chennai, and Afghanistan on February 19. Every ball counts in this survival battle – top two advance to Super Eights. For Canada, Bajwa's leadership could spark the kind of upset that lights up subcontinent stadiums, much like minnows have stunned before.
"Leading Canada at the World Cup is a dream I've chased since picking up the bat." — Dilpreet Bajwa
As tickets go on sale, expect Canada to embrace the associate tag and swing hard.
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