Zadran, Nabi Power Afghanistan to Emphatic 82-Run Win Over Canada

Afghanistan signed off their T20 World Cup campaign in commanding fashion, defeating Canada by 82 runs in their final Group D encounter as Ibrahim Zadran’s unbeaten 95 and Mohammad Nabi’s brilliant 4 for 7 proved decisive.

The victory also marked the end of Jonathan Trott’s tenure as head coach, with his players delivering a performance worthy of tribute.

Zadran Anchors Record Total

Asked to bat first after Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa opted to field in anticipation of evening dew, Afghanistan made full use of the conditions to post 200 for 4 — their highest total in T20 World Cup history.

Ibrahim Zadran led the charge with a magnificent 95 not out, falling just short of what would have been Afghanistan’s first century in men’s T20 World Cups. His innings featured composure, power and acceleration at the death, with two boundaries off the final two balls lifting Afghanistan to the 200-run mark.

Zadran was fortunate early in his innings. Canada missed two key opportunities in the field, including a dropped catch when he was on 54 that ultimately proved costly. The errors added up to 62 runs conceded.

He shared a 47-run opening stand with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who made 30 before falling to Jaskaran Singh. Sediqullah Atal’s brisk 44 in the middle overs provided valuable support, while Gulbadin Naib contributed briefly before departing for 1.

After modest scores against New Zealand and South Africa earlier in the tournament, Zadran had shown signs of rediscovering form with a half-century against UAE. This innings, however, was a definitive statement. His late flourish saw him surpass Gurbaz’s previous tournament-best 84 and set a new personal T20 World Cup benchmark.

“I did try,” Zadran said afterward, reflecting on narrowly missing out on a maiden T20I hundred.

Canada Falter in Chase

Chasing 201 was always going to be a stiff task, and Canada’s hopes quickly unraveled.

Navneet Dhaliwal, playing the final innings of his international career, was dismissed for a five-ball duck. Yuvraj Samra, fresh from a record-breaking 110 against New Zealand earlier in the tournament, managed 17 after striking the first ball of the innings for four.

Harsh Thaker (30) and Saad Bin Zafar (28) showed resistance but never seriously threatened the target. Afghanistan’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure, with Nabi delivering a masterclass of control and experience.

Nabi Turns Back the Clock

At 41 years and 49 days, Mohammad Nabi once again demonstrated why he remains central to Afghanistan’s cricketing identity. His remarkable spell of 4 for 7 included 17 dot balls and effectively extinguished Canada’s chase.

It could have been even better — a dropped chance denied him what would have been his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is. Yet Nabi remained all smiles, even sharing a light moment with opposition batter Jaskaran Singh during the innings.

With his performance, Nabi became the oldest player to claim a four-wicket haul in any ICC tournament.

Nicknamed “The President,” Nabi has been synonymous with Afghanistan’s rise on the global stage. Whether this tournament marks the beginning of his final chapter remains uncertain. With the next T20 World Cup scheduled in Australia and New Zealand, he would be 43 by then — and he has previously spoken of his ambition to share the international stage with his son, Hassan Eisakhil.

For now, his experience and cricketing acumen remain invaluable.

A Fitting Farewell for Trott

The match also served as a heartfelt farewell for head coach Jonathan Trott, who took charge in July 2022. Under his leadership, Afghanistan enjoyed significant success in ICC events, including a semi-final appearance in the previous T20 World Cup.

Although this campaign ended short of the Super Eight stage — largely due to a dramatic double Super Over defeat to South Africa — Afghanistan finished strongly with victories over UAE and Canada.

In a touching gesture, Zadran dedicated his Player-of-the-Match award to Trott.

“He has encouraged all the players and supported us,” Zadran said. “Under his coaching we’ve had a lot of achievements in ICC events. I wish him all the best for his future. We will miss him.”

As the Afghanistan players gathered to embrace their departing coach, the moment symbolized both gratitude and belief — a celebration of progress made and promise still ahead.

Despite an early exit, Afghanistan’s final performance was a reminder of their quality, resilience and growing stature in world cricket.