Canada Clinches T20 World Cup Spot with Victory Over Bermuda

Yuvraj Samra, a teenage batsman, contributed 45 runs on Sunday as Canada secured their spot in next year's ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This victory came after a six-wicket win against Bermuda in the final match of the four-country Americas Qualifier.

Canada's qualification was confirmed on the penultimate day of the qualifier, thanks to their seven-wicket win over the Bahamas on Saturday and Bermuda's nine-wicket loss to the Cayman Islands. Sunday's win, which brought Canada's tournament record to a perfect 6-0-0, was a celebratory moment. Captain Nicholas Kirton expressed his excitement about the qualification, highlighting the team's experience and their focus on maintaining their winning habits.

Canada made its T20 World Cup debut last year, where they didn't advance past the group stage. They had a win against Ireland but lost to Pakistan and the United States. A match against India was cancelled due to weather.

In the final game, Bermuda won the toss and chose to bat. Despite a strong innings of 70 runs by Delray Rawlins, Bermuda's batting order faltered. They were all out for 131 runs in the 19th over, setting Canada a target of 132 runs to win.

Canada reached their half-century in the fifth over, with Samra contributing significantly. However, Samra was later bowled in the sixth over. Dilpreet Bajwa and Pargat Singh were also dismissed shortly after. Harsh Thaker and Nicholas Kirton then led Canada to victory, reaching the target of 132 runs for four wickets in the 16th over.

Canada is now the 13th team to qualify for the 20-team T20 World Cup in 2026. Other qualified teams include Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the U.S., West Indies, Ireland, New Zealand, and Pakistan, along with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka. The remaining spots will be filled through regional qualifiers in Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

In their opening match of the Americas Qualifier, Canada had previously defeated Bermuda by 110 runs. In the final match, Bermuda's score was 100 for two after 10 overs, but they lost eight wickets for only 31 runs afterward.

Rawlins' impressive innings ended when he was caught by Shivam Sharma. Kaleem Sana and Saad Bin Zafar each took three wickets, with Zafar being named player of the match. Sharma was named best bowler of the tournament, and Jermaine Baker of the Cayman Islands was named best batsman and tournament MVP.

Rawlins, who made his debut for Bermuda at 15, scored six sixes and four fours in his 42-ball knock. Onias Bascome added 20 runs.

Canada, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands participated in an eight-day, double round-robin tournament, with the winner advancing to the T20 World Cup. Canada is currently ranked 19th in T20 play by the International Cricket Council, compared to Bermuda's 27th, the Cayman Islands' 41st, and the Bahamas' 56th ranking. The Cayman Islands and Bahamas were recently promoted from the Subregional Qualifier.