Canada’s Yuvraj Samra dethroned Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad to become the youngest centurion at a T20 World Cups, when the left-hander reached his milestone in 58 balls against New Zealand in a Group D clash of the T20 World Cup 2026. The 19-year-old was aged at 19 years and 141 days when he reached the three figures with a four off Kyle Jamieson in the 17th. over.
Coming into this game on the back of 17 runs in the first two games, Samra went all guns blazing, smashing the Kiwis all around the park. He raced to his fifty in just 36 balls, becoming the youngest to score a T20 World Cup half-century. Samra was particularly brutal against James Neesham, smashing the medium pacer for 4, 4, 4, 6 in the sixth over.
Named after Indian legend Yuvraj Singh, Samra was playing in only his 19th T20 International since making his debut in March last year. The southpaw scored 110 off 65 balls, studded with 11 fours and six sixes. He was dismissed in the final over while attempting a big hit against Jacob Duffy.
Before Samra, Shehzad held the record for youngest t20 World Cup centurion at 22 years and 127 days against Bangladesh in the 2014 edition of the tournament. In fact, Samra’s hundred was also the second in this edition of the tournament after Sri Lankan Pathum Nissanka.
Canada ride on Yuvraj Samra’s hundred
Samra set the tone early, taking on pace spearhead Matt Henry in the opening over with back to back fours. He then shifted gears in the final over of the powerplay, hammering James Neesham for 18 runs. After two dot balls, he unleashed a sequence of 4, 4, 4, 6 — pulling behind square, muscling one over mid-wicket, drilling a straight drive and finishing with a stunning upper-cut over point — to race to 29 off 17 balls.
Samra found solid support from skipper Dilpreet Bajwa as the duo stitched together a 116-run opening stand — the highest first-wicket partnership by an Associate team against a Full Member in men’s T20 World Cups. Bajwa was clearly overshadowed and got out for 36 off 39 balls.
Samra also had luck on his side, dropped on 91 when Henry failed to hold on at deep extra cover and again on 107 off Neesham. However, New Zealand found some relief in the final three overs, conceding just 23 runs and picking up two wickets to deny Canada a 180-plus total.
