Afghanistan crush Canada by 82 runs to bow out on a high

Chennai: Afghanistan ended their T20 World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, thumping Canada by 82 runs at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday. Ibrahim Zadran’s unbeaten 95 and Mohammad Nabi’s career-best 4 for 7 powered the Rashid Khan-led side to a commanding 200 for 4 before Canada were restricted to 118 for 8, ensuring both eliminated teams finished on contrasting notes.

Opting to bat first after losing the toss, Afghanistan shrugged off early jolts to post their highest total of the tournament. Rahmanullah Gurbaz provided a brisk 30 off 20 balls, but two quick strikes from Jaskaran Singh—Gurbaz caught at deep point and Gulbadin Naib trapped lbw—left the side wobbling at 49 for 2 in the sixth over.

Zadran, dropped on 54 by Kaleem Sana, capitalised on the reprieve in spectacular fashion. The right-hander combined with Sediqullah Atal for a 95-run third-wicket stand, the pair milking the spinners and finding the boundary with ease. Atal’s 44 off 32 ended when he holed out in the deep, yet Zadran carried on, striking seven fours and five sixes in his 56-ball vigil. Late cameos from Azmatullah Omarzai (13 off 7) and Darwish Rasooli (4 not out) lifted the total to exactly 200.

Canada’s chase unravelled inside the powerplay. Captain Dilpreet Bajwa’s entertaining 13 off seven balls was ended by Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the third over, and by the sixth Canada had slumped to 33 for 3. Nabi, introduced in the fifth over, struck twice in two balls—Yuvraj Samra (17) and Nicholas Kirton (10) both departed—while Omarzai removed Navneet Dhaliwal.

Harsh Thaker (30) and Saad Bin Zafar (28) staged a 53-run sixth-wicket repair job, but Nabi returned to break the stand and finished with 4 for 7 in four overs. Rashid Khan chipped in with two late scalps as Canada folded for 118, handing Afghanistan their second win of the competition and leaving Canada winless across the tournament.

The comprehensive victory offered Afghanistan a measure of redemption after their narrow defeat to South Africa cost them a place in the Super Eights, while Canada depart with plenty to ponder despite spirited performances throughout their maiden World Cup appearance.