ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Match Details
Match: Afghanistan vs Canada – Group D
Date: 19 February 2026
Day: Thursday
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Time: 07:00 PM (Local) / 03:00 PM IST
Live Telecast & Streaming
Live Telecast: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: JioHotstar
Probable Playing XI
Afghanistan Probable XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Seddiqullah Atal, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmed
Canada Probable XI
Navneet Dhaliwal, Yuvraj Samra, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Dilon Heyliger, Saad Bin Zafera, Jaskaran Singh, Shivam Sharma, Ansh Patel
Pitch Report
The MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch in Chennai is known for assisting spinners, especially as the match progresses. Batters who spend time at the crease can score steadily, but stroke-making may become slightly difficult in the middle overs due to the slow nature of the surface. Fast bowlers may get limited assistance early with the new ball. A first-innings total around 150–165 is considered competitive at this venue.
Weather Report
Chennai is expected to experience warm and humid conditions with temperatures around 30–33°C. Rain interruptions are unlikely, ensuring a full match.
Match Prediction
Afghanistan enters the contest with strong spin resources and an experienced T20 lineup featuring explosive top-order batters and impactful all-rounders. Canada has shown competitive performances in the tournament and will rely heavily on their top-order batters to challenge Afghanistan. Considering overall squad balance, spin strength, and recent performances, Afghanistan holds a slight advantage, though Canada has the potential to produce an upset with an exceptional all-round effort.
Key Players
Afghanistan
Rahmanullah Gurbaz: Explosive opener capable of providing fast starts.
Rashid Khan: World-class leg-spinner who can change the match with crucial wickets.
Azmatullah Omarzai: Impact all-rounder contributing with both bat and ball.
Canada
Navneet Dhaliwal: Experienced top-order batter who anchors the innings.
Nicholas Kirton: Aggressive middle-order batter capable of accelerating the scoring rate.
Saad Bin Zafar: Left-arm spinner who controls the middle overs.