Chennai, Feb 19 (NationPress) Mohammad Nabi, the seasoned off-spin bowling all-rounder, delivered an exceptional performance with figures of 4-7, helping Afghanistan secure an impressive 82-run victory against Canada in their concluding Group D match, concluding their journey in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup on a high note at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan amassed a total of 200/4, driven by Ibrahim Zadran’s remarkable unbeaten score of 95, marking his second consecutive fifty in the tournament. Sediqullah Atal contributed with a solid 44, enabling Afghanistan to post a score of 200 in the tournament for the first time. Jaskaran Singh, the Canadian pacer, stood out among their bowlers with figures of 3-52, yet the visitors struggled to rein in Afghanistan's aggressive batting during the final overs, which yielded 69 runs.

Canada’s innings started positively, with Yuvraj Samra hitting boundaries in the opening over and Dilpreet Bajwa clearing the ropes twice shortly thereafter. However, their early momentum quickly faded as Mujeeb Ur Rahman bowled Bajwa, and Navneet Dhaliwal was dismissed for a duck in his final international match, with Nabi taking Samra’s wicket to leave Canada struggling at 33/3 in the powerplay.

From that point, Afghanistan’s spinners tightened their grip on the game. Captain Rashid Khan contributed with 2-19, while Nabi’s cunning bowling dismantled the middle order. Canada attempted to fight back, led by Harsh Thaker (30) and captain Saad bin Zafar (28) in a 53-run partnership, but the early collapse proved too severe, finishing with a score of 118/8 in their 20 overs.

This victory allowed Afghanistan to conclude a campaign that showed promise yet ultimately fell short of advancing to the Super Eight stage, with Jonathan Trott coaching his final match. For Canada, this defeat marked the end of a commendable run, showcasing glimpses of potential from their younger players.

A chase of 201 was always going to be challenging; however, Samra and Bajwa started strong. Yet, the chase unraveled quickly as Mujeeb bowled Bajwa with a googly, Dhaliwal fell for a five-ball duck, and Nabi struck on his first delivery to dismiss Samra, caught at backward point.

Nabi continued his impressive performance, claiming Nicholas Kirton and later Thaker, achieving his best figures at a T20 World Cup. Rashid Khan also claimed Shreyas Movva and bin Zafar as the middle order crumbled under relentless spin pressure, concluding Afghanistan’s campaign on a victorious note.

Previously, Afghanistan had a steady start, but Canada struck back in the sixth over, with pacer Jaskaran Singh dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib in quick succession. Zadran anchored the innings, partnering with Atal in a 95-run stand off 59 balls for the third wicket. Zadran reached his second consecutive fifty of the tournament, while Atal was dismissed in the 16th over for 44 off 32 balls.

Zadran, who was dropped on 54 by Dhaliwal, took full advantage of that chance, guiding Afghanistan to precisely 200 in a 56-ball innings featuring seven fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 169.64. Afghanistan raced to 49 in the powerplay but faced a setback when Gurbaz, who had been aggressive with boundaries, fell attempting one shot too many, while Naib succumbed to a full delivery.

This double blow momentarily halted Afghanistan’s momentum, but Zadran remained composed, finding a reliable partner in Atal. The duo balanced calculated risks with elegant stroke play. Atal, who struck seven boundaries in his 44, fell while trying to accelerate, but the innings had been well stabilized by then.

Zadran capitalized on the drop by Dhaliwal, showcasing an array of drives, sweeps, and lofted strokes to keep the scoreboard moving. His innings blended patience with power, ensuring Afghanistan never lost sight of a substantial total.

Canada’s bowlers had moments of control, yet their lines and lengths faltered under pressure during the death overs. Afghanistan capitalized by scoring 69 runs in the final five overs, with Zadran ensuring a flow of boundaries and setting the stage for their dominating victory.

Brief scores:

Afghanistan 200/4 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 95 not out, Sediqullah Atal 44; Jaskaran Singh 3-52, Dilon Heyliger 1-41) beat Canada 118/8 in 20 overs (Harsh Thaker 30, Saad Bin Zafar 28; Mohammad Nabi 4-7, Rashid Khan 2-19) by 82 runs