Canada vs New Zealand: Santner Out Sick as Black Caps Chase Super 8s Spot
CHENNAI — New Zealand rearranged its lineup on Tuesday after skipper Mitchell Santner was ruled out sick with what the team described as a food-related illness, while Canada won the toss and elected to bat in a Group D clash that carries heavy Super 8s implications.
Late change to New Zealand side as Santner misses out
Stand-in captain Daryl Mitchell confirmed Santner would not take part in the fixture after falling ill, citing what he described as "a dodgy burger last night. " Cole McConchie was named as a like-for-like replacement in the playing XI, slotting into the spin-bowling allrounder role Santner usually occupies. The move leaves New Zealand light on their preferred spin attack but retains depth through batting and pace options.
New Zealand also brought Kyle Jamieson into the team as the seamer replacement for Lockie Ferguson, who has returned home for the birth of his first child. Team management said Ferguson is expected to rejoin the squad during the Super 8 stage should New Zealand progress.
The reshuffle underlines the challenge of managing personnel at a global tournament: a sudden illness and a major life event combined to force two changes to an otherwise settled unit. Still, New Zealand go into the match having won two of their three group games and sit in pole position to seal a place in the Super 8s with a third victory.
Canada elects to bat; lineup aims to upset the favorites
Canada, having won the toss, opted to bat first and fielded a team blending experience and emerging talent. The XI includes Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (captain), Navneet Dhaliwal, Harsh Thaker, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Dilon Heyliger, Jaskaran Singh and Ansh Patel. That group will need a collective showing to challenge a New Zealand side packed with international experience.
Canada entered the match in a precarious position, having lost earlier games to both the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. A defeat would eliminate them from contention for the Super 8s; a win would reopen their campaign and inject fresh momentum into their tournament. For a team that has never played a T20 international against New Zealand, the contest is as much about gaining experience on the big stage as it is about the immediate stakes.
Group ramifications and what to watch for
A New Zealand victory would all but secure their progression from Group D, placing them among the teams expected to contest the Super 8s. Their squad balance — power hitters at the top, versatile middle-order batsmen and a seam attack that now includes Jamieson — makes them a tough proposition even with the late absence of their skipper.
For Canada, the path forward is straightforward but steep: post a competitive total, bowl disciplined spells and force pressure at the death. Key matchups to monitor include how Canada’s batsmen handle New Zealand’s veteran seamers and how McConchie, stepping into Santner’s role, manages the middle overs with both bat and ball.
The match sits alongside other decisive group fixtures that could shape the early exits and qualifications of several traditional powers. Teams still chasing points across the groups will be closely watching results that could ripple through the tournament standings. For New Zealand, a win maintains momentum; for Canada, a surprise upset would be a tournament-defining moment.
Play is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 (ET), in Chennai, with both teams aware that the margin for error is slim in this condensed T20 World Cup format.
