If his first name made you pause and search “that” question on Google, your hunch was absolutely right. The tall, left-handed Canada batter who single-handedly dismantled New Zealand’s attack at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday in a T20 World Cup 2026 Group D clash was indeed named after India legend Yuvraj Singh. And while broadcasters displayed him as Yuvraj Samra, his full name is Yuvraj Singh Samra.
His father, Baljit Kamra, named him after the former India all-rounder. Little did he know that one day his son would live up to that name and carve out his own place in cricket history.
New Zealand vs Canada T20 World Cup LIVE Score
It took Canada a couple of games to find their rhythm, but when they did, they pushed 2021 runners-up New Zealand, who were chasing Super 8 qualification, onto the back foot. The North American side posted 173 for four in 20 overs, their second-highest total in T20 World Cups, largely thanks to a magnificent 110 from Samra.
The opener, playing just his 19th T20 International since debuting in March last year, had already shown glimpses of his talent, including a 15-ball fifty against the Bahamas. But on Tuesday, he erased any lingering doubts with a stunning 58-ball hundred, proving he could take on world-class attacks on the biggest stage.
The knock, studded with 11 fours and six sixes, made him the first centurion from an Associate nation in T20 World Cup history. He also became the youngest batter to score a T20 World Cup hundred, surpassing Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad, who was 21 when he set the mark in 2012. At 19 years and 141 days, Samra is also the joint-youngest player to score a century across all men’s World Cups (ODIs included), equalling Ireland’s Paul Stirling, who achieved the feat in the 2011 ODI World Cup.
With New Zealand missing Lockie Ferguson (personal leave) and Mitchell Santner (indisposed), Samra capitalised early. He struck Matt Henry for back-to-back fours in the opening over and later hammered James Neesham for 18 runs in the final over of the powerplay.
He reached his half-century off just 36 balls and found strong support from skipper Dilpreet Bajwa as the pair added 116 for the opening wicket, the highest first-wicket partnership by an Associate nation against a Full Member in men’s T20 World Cups.
New Zealand clawed back slightly in the final three overs, claiming two wickets for 23 runs to prevent Canada from breaching the 180 mark.
