Canada’s 19-year-old Indian-origin batter Yuvraj Samra etched his name into T20 World Cup history by becoming the youngest centurion in the tournament’s history, blasting a stunning 110 off 65 balls against New Zealand in a Group D clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Also becoming the first associate nation player to score a century in the men’s T20 World Cup, though his heroics could not prevent Canada from losing by eight wickets.
Youngest Centurions in Men’s T20 World Cup History
| Age | Player | Match | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19y 141d | Yuvraj Samra (CAN) | vs New Zealand | Chennai | 2026 |
| 22y 127d | Ahmed Shehzad (PAK) | vs Bangladesh | Mirpur | 2014 |
| 23y 156d | Suresh Raina (IND) | vs South Africa | Gros Islet | 2010 |
| 25y 83d | Alex Hales (ENG) | vs Sri Lanka | Chattogram | 2014 |
| 25y 327d | Glenn Phillips (NZ) | vs Sri Lanka | Sydney | 2022 |
At just 19 years and 141 days, Samra shattered the previous record held by Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad, who was 22 years and 127 days old when he scored his hundred against Bangladesh in 2014.
His breathtaking knock, laced with 11 fours and six sixes, also surpassed the previous highest individual score by an associate nation player, Aaron Jones’ 94 not out for the USA at the last World Cup.
Samra brought up his century in just 58 balls, sharing a commanding 116-run opening partnership with captain Dilpreet Bajwa to power Canada to a competitive 173-4.
He survived a scare on 103 when James Neesham dropped him at long off, but Glenn Phillips eventually held on at deep backward square leg to end his magnificent innings, which received a well-deserved standing ovation from the Chennai crowd.
Named after Indian legend Yuvraj Singh by his cricket-loving father Baljit Samra, the Brampton-born teenager was playing only his 19th T20 International since debuting in March last year. He became only the second centurion of the 2026 edition after Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka.
“I manifested this moment ever since we qualified for the World Cup. Every single day, I dreamed about scoring a hundred on this stage. To do it here as the youngest player – it’s truly a dream come true,” Samra said after his record-breaking knock.
New Zealand chased down the target comfortably, with Glenn Phillips smashing 76 off just 36 balls to seal their Super 8 qualification.
