Placed in Group D alongside other giants of the shortest format of the game, Afghanistan and South Africa, New Zealand is all set to lock horns with Canada. They have made an electrifying start to the World Cup with a dominant win against Afghanistan, followed by a massive 10-wicket victory against the UAE.
The Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand side will clash against the Dilpreet Bajwa-led Canadian side for the 31st match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Canada are still in the quest for their maiden victory in this World Cup.
The following article comprises a detailed preview of the ICC T20 World Cup match between New Zealand and Canada. The article includes the probable playing XI, head-to-head record, key player battles, weather report and the pitch report at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
NZ vs CAN T20 World Cup Match Preview:
Match Date: The New Zealand vs. Canada match will be played on Tuesday, February 17.
Venue: The match will take place at the MA Chidambarum Stadium in Chennai.
Time: The match is scheduled to start at 11:00 AM IST.
NZ vs CAN Full Squads:
New Zealand Squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell (injured), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
Canada Squad: Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Ajayveer Hundal, Shreyas Movva, Jaskarandeep Singh, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Navneet Dhaliwal, Ansh Patel, Dilon Heyliger, Harsh Thaker, Ravinderpal Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Nicholas Kirton, and Yuvraj Samra.
NZ vs CAN Probable XIs:
New Zealand Probable Playing XI: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, and Matt Henry.
Canada Probable Playing XI: Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Navneet Dhaliwal, Harsh Thaker, Shreyas Movva, Nicholas Kirton, Jaskarandeep Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Dilon Heyliger, Ansh Patel and Kaleem Sana.
NZ vs CAN T20 World Cup Match Key Battles:
Harsh Thaker vs Lockie Ferguson:
Harsh Thaker is among the most in-form players for Canada, and he has been their greatest run-scorer coming into the competition. Lockie Ferguson, the veteran New Zealand pacer, is their main strike bowler and can be effective against Thaker in the death overs.
Finn Allen vs Saad Bin Zafar:
Finn Allen, the Kiwi opening batter, has made a stylish start to their World Cup campaign. The world witnessed their stunning batting prowess as they defeated the United Arab Emirates by chasing a massive 175 runs without the loss of any wickets. Saad Bin Zafar, the in-form Canadian spinner, has been prolific with the ball, despite the team lagging in the tournament. The spinner can attack Allen at his weak spot.
Tim Seifert vs Kaleem Sana:
The other opening partner for Allen, Tim Seifert, is one of the most dangerous batters in the world, once he gets going. Hence, Kaleem Sana will be crucial to Canada with the new ball, hoping for an early breakthrough against the explosive Kiwi opener. Once Seifert starts smacking the ball, Canada will not be able to resist the Kiwis from registering another comfortable win.
NZ vs CAN Key Players:
Canada Key Players: Dilpreet Bajwa, Yuvraj Samra, Nicholas Kirton, Saad Bin Zafar, and Kaleem Sana
New Zealand Key Players: Tim Seifert, Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, and Mitchell Santner.
NZ vs CAN T20 World Cup Match – Live Streaming Details
NZ vs CAN Broadcast in India: The New Zealand vs Canada clash will be broadcast live across India on the Star Sports Network.
Online Live Streaming in India: The matches of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 can be streamed live on the Jio HotStar app with an active subscription.
NZ vs CAN T20 World Cup Match Weather and Pitch Report – Chennai
NZ vs CAN: Weather Report in Chennai:
According to AccuWeather, there is no chance of rain throughout the day. While the clear sky indicates that a full game will be played between these two sides. The temperature range during this time of the day will be around 25-26 degrees. Humidity is low on this ground, and night matches are often affected by rainfall.
NZ vs CAN Pitch Report at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai:
This pitch does not offer great batting conditions, as spinners can come into play early in the game. The pacers may be trying out several variations; however, the spinners will be offered considerable help by the pitch. The dew factor often affects second-inning chases, as a result of which teams winning the toss often opt to bowl first.
NZ vs CAN Head-to-Head Records:
The Kiwis already have a huge advantage in the series after having won their first few games and have cleared their way into the ICC T20 World Cup Super-8s. Canada have no hopes left for advancing further into the tournament. These teams will face each other for the first time in the history of the shortest format of the game, as well as the ICC T20 World Cup.
|
Match |
New Zealand Won |
Canada won |
Draw |
No Result |
|
Overall |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
In T20 World Cup |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
In Last 5 Matches |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
NZ vs CAN T20 World Cup Match— Conclusion:
Considering all the parameters, New Zealand are the one-sided favourite of the contest between New Zealand and Canada. The game seems to be very one-sided, and New Zealand will finalise a Super-8 spot for them with this victory. Canada will be playing the game without any fear and will be hoping for a victory before they leave the Indian subcontinent.
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