afghanistan vs canada: Zadran 95* seals dominant finish as Zimbabwe, West Indies stay unbeaten

On Thursday (ET) Afghanistan signed off their ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign in style, beating Canada by 82 runs in Chennai, while Zimbabwe and West Indies kept unbeaten starts to the tournament with wins in Colombo and Kolkata respectively. The day's action offered high drama on the field and a poignant farewell off it, as Afghanistan's players paid tribute to outgoing coach Jonathan Trott.

Zadran masterclass powers Afghanistan to a big total

Put into bat, Afghanistan got another strong start from their openers, a 47-run opening stand that set the platform before Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell for 30 as the visitors slipped to 49/2 in the powerplay. That early wobble invited Ibrahim Zadran to rebuild, and he delivered in emphatic fashion.

Zadran compiled a measured, authoritative 95 not out off 56 balls, the highest individual score by an Afghan in this edition of the tournament. He struck seven fours and five sixes and put together a key 95-run partnership with Sediqullah Atal, who contributed 44, to lift Afghanistan to a commanding 187 on the board.

Canada’s bowlers toiled for reward; Jaskarandeep Singh finished as Canada’s most successful seamer with figures of 3/52 from four overs, but the sustained pressure built by Afghanistan’s middle order left the visitors with too much to chase.

Canada’s chase collapses as Nabi and Rashid choke the game

Canada began the run chase positively. Yuvraj Samra, fresh from a century in his prior outing, hit the first ball faced for four off Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and skipper Dilpreet Bajwa followed with early aggression, launching a pair of well-timed sixes. That momentum, however, was short-lived.

Bajwa’s attempted move against Mujeeb ended with him bowled, and Navneet Dhaliwal’s brief stay at No. 3 concluded with a five-ball duck. Mohammad Nabi then swung the contest in Afghanistan’s favour, removing Samra for 17 and beginning a destructive spell that ultimately accounted for four wickets. Nicholas Kirton followed soon after, edging to the outfield where Zadran completed the catch, while Ziaur produced a fine deep catch to dismiss Shreyas Movva.

Harsh Thaker and Saad offered a brief resistance, stitching together a 53-run stand that threatened a recovery, but Nabi returned to break the partnership and then removed additional lower-order batters, including Heyliger with the first ball of his final over. Canada were 105/8 at 18. 1 overs and ultimately folded well short of the target, finishing 82 runs adrift.

Farewell to Trott and momentum for the next phase

The victory was also marked by emotion off the field. Ahead of the match, Afghanistan’s captain paid tribute to head coach Jonathan Trott, who leaves his role following this tournament. The captain credited Trott with helping elevate the team’s standards through sustained work and clear direction, saying the progress seen in recent years is owed to effort across the squad rather than overnight change.

Trott’s tenure, which began in mid-2022 and was extended through multiple cycles, coincided with some of Afghanistan’s most notable recent achievements across formats, and the dressing-room sentiment reflected gratitude as well as the expectation that the side must continue to evolve. There is also public speculation about the future of veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi; the captain stressed that decisions about retirement are personal and rest with the player.

Elsewhere on the same day, Zimbabwe produced an exciting six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo, while West Indies extended their perfect start by defeating Italy in Kolkata. Those results keep both sides in strong positions as the tournament progresses and set up intriguing matchups in the coming days.

Afghanistan’s dominant finish — led by Zadran’s standout innings and a potent spin attack — offers a timely reminder of their growing depth, even as the squad prepares for coaching transitions and potential shifts among senior players. The team leaves Chennai with momentum and questions answered on the field, but with fresh choices to make off it.