CHENNAI: Nineteen-year-old Yuvraj Samra produced a fearless 110 to become the youngest batter to score a century in T20 World Cup history as Canada posted a challenging 173 for four in their must-win Group D clash against New Zealand here on Tuesday.
Named after India’s World Cup-winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, the left-hander scripted his own chapter with a 58-ball hundred, adding to his earlier feat of being the youngest to score a fifty in the tournament at 19 years and 141 days.
He is also the third Canadian to register a half-century in this edition.
Samra smashed six sixes and 11 fours in his 65-ball knock, taking full advantage of a depleted New Zealand attack that was without Lockie Ferguson (personal leave) and Mitchell Santner (indisposed).
He set the tone early by taking on pace spearhead Matt Henry in the opening over with back-to-back fours.
Samra then shifted gears in the final over of the powerplay, hammering James Neesham for 18 runs.
After two dot balls, he unleashed a sequence of 4, 4, 4 and 6, pulling behind square, muscling one over mid-wicket, drilling a straight drive and finishing with a stunning upper cut over point, to race to 29 off 17 balls.
Samra brought up his fifty off just 36 balls and found solid support from skipper Dilpreet Bajwa as the duo stitched together a 116-run opening stand, the highest first-wicket partnership by an Associate team against a Full Member in men’s T20 World Cups.
Bajwa was overshadowed in the stand and was dismissed for 36 off 39 balls.
Samra also enjoyed an element of luck, being dropped on 91 when Henry failed to hold on at deep extra cover and again on 107 off Neesham.
However, New Zealand found some relief in the final three overs, conceding just 23 runs and picking up two wickets to deny Canada a total in excess of 180.