Match update: afghanistan vs canada — Afghanistan on the offence in Chennai
Afghanistan recovered from an early wobble to build a competitive total against Canada in the final match of the day in Chennai on Thursday (ET). After being put into bat, the Afghans lost two quick wickets inside the powerplay but found momentum through a steady rebuild led by Ibrahim Zadran, who notched his second successive T20 World Cup fifty.
Afghan rebuild and middle-order composure
Put into bat, Afghanistan's opening pair gave the innings a brisk start, putting on 47 before the first major setback arrived. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the wicketkeeper-opener, fell for 30 and Afghanistan were 49/2 at the end of the powerplay, a position that demanded consolidation rather than fireworks.
Ibrahim Zadran answered that call with a gritty half-century, his second in as many World Cup outings, anchoring the innings as the team steadied. His partnership with Sediqullah Atal proved decisive, taking Afghanistan to 131/2 in 15 overs and setting a platform for a late acceleration. The presence of experienced campaigners in the line-up — including Mohammad Nabi and the captain Rashid Khan — gives Afghanistan balance, with both spin and pace options to exploit in the field later in the day.
The Afghanistan XI for this contest read as a blend of power and guile: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi. With Rashid Khan leading from the front, the Afghan bowling attack is equipped to defend a modest total or tighten the screws early if given a target.
Canada's young guns and the chase challenge
Canada have fielded a youthful and attacking unit, looking to end their campaign on a high note. The visitors named a side featuring Yuvraj Samra, captain Dilpreet Bajwa, Navneet Dhaliwal, Harsh Thaker and Nicholas Kirton, with Shreyas Movva keeping wickets. Their bowling attack combines experience in seamers like Kaleem Sana and Ansh Patel with the wicket-to-wicket sting of Saad Bin Zafar and Dilon Heyliger.
For Canada, the key will be executing plans against Afghanistan's spinners and not allowing the middle overs to slip away. If the Canadians can land early breakthroughs and keep the run-rate in check through overs six to fifteen, they will give themselves a genuine shot at chasing a total in the 140–160 window. The young batting core has shown resilience in patches during the tournament and will be eager to test Afghanistan's often-potent wrist-spin options.
Day's context: other matches and group implications
The match in Chennai capped a busy day of group-stage action. Earlier, West Indies extended their unbeaten streak with a win over Italy in Kolkata. Zimbabwe continued their surprising run in the tournament, defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in Colombo to remain unbeaten and top Group B.
Zimbabwe's win over Sri Lanka was notable for a controlled chase after restricting the hosts to 178/7. Brian Bennett's unbeaten 63 and Sikandar Raza's late blitz ensured the visitors sealed victory with a few balls to spare. Those results add texture to the group-stage table as teams jockey for position ahead of the Super Eight phase.
Back in Chennai, Afghanistan will look to convert their mid-innings recovery into a finish that puts pressure on Canada through both runs on the board and a deep bowling attack. Canada, for their part, will lean on young contributors to punch above their weight and close the tournament with momentum.
The game remains live in Chennai and promises a compelling contrast: Afghan experience and spin craft versus Canadian enthusiasm and seam options. Expect a tense finish as both sides chase pride and late-group bragging rights.
