Afghanistan signed off their T20 World Cup campaign with a commanding 82-run victory over Canada on Thursday, posting their highest total of the tournament before dismantling the Canadian batting lineup.
Batting first at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Afghanistan piled up 200 for 4 in their allotted 20 overs, powered by a blistering unbeaten 95 from Ibrahim Zadran. The opener struck seven fours and five sixes in his 56-ball innings, anchoring the total after Rahmanullah Gurbaz had given the side an early lift with a brisk 30 off 20 deliveries.
Sediqullah Atal contributed 44 from 32 balls, helping Afghanistan maintain momentum through the middle overs. Canada’s Jaskaran Singh claimed three wickets but conceded 52 runs, as Afghanistan closed strongly.
In reply, Canada never recovered from early setbacks and were restricted to 118 for 8. Mohammad Nabi delivered a standout performance with the ball, taking 4 for 7 in a decisive spell that broke the back of Canada’s chase. Rashid Khan added two wickets, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with one apiece.
Canada’s Harsh Thaker top-scored with 30, while Saad Bin Zafar made 28, but regular wickets prevented any sustained partnership.
The victory was Afghanistan’s second of the group stage, though it was not enough to secure a place in the knockout rounds. Still, the emphatic win offered a strong finish to a campaign marked by flashes of attacking brilliance but inconsistent results.
For Canada, the defeat concluded a challenging tournament in which they struggled to find consistency with both bat and ball.
