The 39th match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will feature Afghanistan and Canada at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the match starting at 7:00 PM IST.
After being knocked out of the Super Eights race, Afghanistan will be desperate to finish strongly. Their narrow defeats at the hands of South Africa and New Zealand were tough to take, but they’re still aiming to end their campaign with a positive result in the final outing at Chepauk.
Canada’s journey through the competition has been a tough one. Starting with a significant 57-run defeat to South Africa, their fortunes didn’t improve as they lost to the UAE and New Zealand. Bajwa’s team will look to secure a morale-boosting victory before heading home.
AFG vs CAN Match Details
| Fixture | AFG vs CAN : 39th Match, T20World Cup 2026 |
| Date | February 19th, 2026 (Thursday) |
| Time | 7:00 PM IST |
| Toss time | 6:30 PM IST |
| Ground | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
AFG vs CAN head-to-head records in T20I
| Matches Played | AFG | CAN |
| 3 | 2 | 1 |
Pitch Report
The MA Chidambaram pitch doesn’t provide the best batting conditions, as spinners are usually the ones who dominate. Known for its grip and turn, the pitch can create problems for chasing teams, even though the dew factor might come into play later in the match.
AFG vs CAN Probable Best Performers
Key batter to watch out for: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been the top run-scorer for Afghanistan, amassing 110 runs from three matches. His blistering 84 against South Africa in Ahmedabad remains a standout performance, earning him recognition. The vice-captain will look to sign off from the tournament with another defining performance.
Key bowler to watch out for: Azmatullah Omarzai
Azmatullah Omarzai has been a reliable all-rounder for Afghanistan, making significant contributions with both bat and ball. It’s his right-arm pace bowling that has been most effective, with 8 wickets in three matches. Despite not being the quickest on the speed gun, Omarzai has consistently taken key wickets at critical moments.
AFG vs CAN Match Prediction ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Afghanistan will enter the game as the favorites, with spin-friendly conditions at the Chidambaram Stadium potentially giving them the upper hand. Canada, struggling to find consistency, will need to execute a near-perfect performance to challenge Afghanistan. Expect a closely contested encounter, but Afghanistan’s experience could prove decisive in the end.
AFG vs CAN Probable XIs
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (W), Gulbadin Naib, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Canada: Yuvraj Singh Samra, Nicholas Kirton, Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Navneet Dhaliwal, Shreyas Movva (W), Harsh Thaker, Dilon Heyliger, Jaskaran Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Ansh Patel