In a competition typically dictated by the well-known teams, 19-year-old Yuvraj Samra has just made history in Chennai. With a gritty under-edge that raced to the deep backward point boundary off Kyle Jamieson, the Canadian opener became the youngest-ever centurion in T20 World Cup history, as he raised his bat to a Chepauk crowd that has increasingly adopted Canada as their second team.
Samra and his partner Dilpreet Bajwa (36) were watchful. Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy kept things tight early on, testing the openers with late movement. With his first real statement coming in the 6th over against James Neesham. He dismantled the veteran all-rounder, hitting three consecutive fours and a massive six over deep cover using an inside-out lofted drive that left the commentary team drawing comparisons to his namesake, Yuvraj Singh.
While New Zealand hoped the introduction of spin would stem the flow, Samra had other plans. He reached his 50 off 36 balls with a clinical drive off Glenn Phillips, but it was the 12th over that changed the complexion of the game. Facing Cole McConchie, Samra launched two massive sixes down the ground and thrashed a four through extra cover, taking 19 runs off the over and pushing Canada past the 100-run mark.
The innings wasn't without its nervous moments. At 89, Samra got a lucky break when a mistimed hit off Jamieson fell just short of a charging Daryl Mitchell. New Zealand’s bowlers tried to stay wide of his off-stump to exploit his trigger movement, but Samra adjusted, often shuffling across to flick the ball into the gaps or using his hands to find the backward point boundary.
When the 100 finally came, it wasn't a textbook cover drive, but a scrappy under-edge; a reminder that at 19, in the heat of Chennai, results matter more than style. Whether Canada manages the "miracle" win or not, Yuvraj Samra’s name is now etched in World Cup history, demonstrating that the distance between the underdogs and the powerhouses is narrowing, one boundary at a time.
