AFG vs CAN 39th Match T20 World Cup 2026: Match Preview, Probable XIs, Pitch Report and Winner Prediction

Afghanistan and Canada are ready to face each other in the 39th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Thursday, February 19. This match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST. Stay tuned with our AFG vs CAN prediction, team preview, pitch report, player stats and winner prediction ahead of this exciting contest.

Afghanistan have had a tough campaign in Group D. They lost close matches to South Africa and New Zealand before registering a win against the UAE. However, despite that victory, they are now out of the race for the Super 8 and have no chance of qualifying. On the other hand, Canada are also without a win after defeats to South Africa, the UAE, and New Zealand, which has kept them at the bottom of the table. This match is now about pride for both teams, as they look to finish their campaign on a positive note.

Head-to-Head Record: Till now, a total of 2 T20 matches have been played between these two sides, in which Afghanistan performed outstandingly and won 2 games, while Canada won 0 games.

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Afghanistan Preview

Afghanistan come into this match with one win and two losses in Group D. They lost a double Super Over thriller to South Africa and then went down to New Zealand, but bounced back strongly against the UAE by chasing 162 with four balls to spare. Under Rashid Khan’s captaincy, they will aim to finish the group stage with two wins from four matches.

With the bat, Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been their top performer, scoring 84 off 42 balls against South Africa. Ibrahim Zadran played a key knock of 53 off 41 balls in the chase against the UAE, while Azmatullah Omarzai added an unbeaten 40 off 21 balls in the same match. These contributions show that Afghanistan’s top and middle order are contributing at important moments.

Bowling remains their biggest strength. Rashid Khan has picked up crucial middle-over wickets, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad have maintained tight spells to control the run rate. In the pace attack, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq have handled the new ball and death overs well. Even in their two defeats, Afghanistan’s bowlers kept the margins close, highlighting the overall strength of their attack.

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Canada Preview

Canada have lost all three matches in Group D. They were beaten by South Africa by 57 runs, lost to the UAE by five wickets, and then suffered an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand. With 0 points from 3 games, they are out of the Super 8 race.

Yuvraj Samra has been their top batter, scoring 110 off 65 balls against New Zealand as Canada made 173 for 4. Nicholas Kirton and Navneet Dhaliwal have added support in the middle order. However, the team has lacked consistency with the bat in the other matches.

In bowling, Shivam Sharma took 11 wickets at an average of 7.81 in the Americas Qualifier, and Kaleem Sana picked up 10 wickets at an economy of 7.5. In this tournament, Canada conceded 213 against South Africa and allowed New Zealand to chase 174 in 15.1 overs. Saad Bin Zafar, Sharma, and Sana will need to deliver early wickets in this match.

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AFG vs CAN Probable Playing XI

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, GRahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), ulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (C), Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi.

Canada: Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Nicholas Kirton, Navneet Dhaliwal, Harsh Thaker, Shreyas Movva (WK), Shivam Sharma, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Ansh Patel.

AFG vs CAN Pitch Report

The pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, usually helps spinners and plays a bit slow. In this tournament, however, high scores and big chases have been seen. Batting has been better in the first innings, while bowlers get more help later. Teams may choose to bowl first due to dew, and a score around 160–170 should be competitive.

The weather on Thursday at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai is expected to be sunny, around 25°C, with 0% chance of rain, 73% humidity, and winds near 14 km/h.

Venue T20I Statistics

AFG vs CAN Winner Prediction

Afghanistan will go into this match as favourites because of their stronger squad and experience. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran can give good starts, while Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi add balance. On a spin-friendly pitch, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad give them a clear advantage. If their pacers take early wickets, Afghanistan will control the game.

Canada will try to compete and play without pressure. Yuvraj Samra is an important batter, and players like Nicholas Kirton and Navneet Dhaliwal must support him. Their bowlers need early breakthroughs to create pressure. However, Afghanistan look stronger overall.

Our Prediction: Afghanistan

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