Canada T20 World Cup 2026 team preview: Squad, fixtures, probable XI, key players, tournament prediction

Canada have played three ICC Men’s World Cups, and made their T20 World Cup debut in 2024—the highlight being their win against Ireland, a full member.

This year, they are in Group D, with South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and the UAE. All their group matches will be played in India.

Canada won all six matches at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Americas Regional Qualifiers. All-rounder Shivam Sharma took 11 scalps to finish as the competition’s leading wicket-taker. The team is led by the promising 23-year-old, Dilpreet Bajwa.

Squad

Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Ajayveer Hundal, Ansh Patel, Dilon Heyliger, Harsh Thaker, Jaskarandeep Buttar, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Ravinderpal Singh, Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Shreyas Movva, Yuvraj Samra.

Fixtures

Feb 9: vs South Africa (Ahmedabad)

Feb 13: vs UAE (Delhi)

Feb 17: vs New Zealand (Chennai)

Feb 19: vs Afghanistan (Chennai)

Probable playing XI

Based on recent form in the Americas Regional Qualifiers, here’s a look at the likely XI:

Navneet Dhaliwal, Yuvraj Samra, Nicholas Kirton, Dilpreet Bajwa, Harsh Thaker, Shreyas Movva, Saad Bin Zafar, Dilon Heyliger, Shivam Sharma, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel.

Key players

Dilpreet Bajwa

Bajwa is the face of Canada's new generation, having been handed over the reins of the team at just 23. He was instrumental in the 2025 qualifiers, with a brilliant 55 off 21 balls against the Cayman Islands and a 33-ball 50 against the Bahamas being the highlights. In T20Is, he has a healthy average of 28.36 with a strike rate of 133.22. Originally a middle-order anchor, Bajwa has evolved into a top-order aggressor who can also chip in with handy off-breaks.

Nicholas Kirton

Kirton remains Canada’s most technically sound batter and a big-match performer. Since his standout 49 against Ireland in the 2024 World Cup, Kirton has dominated domestic and regional T20s. He recorded a blistering 42 off 18 balls against the Bahamas in June 2025. With over 740 T20I runs, he is central to the Canadian middle order. His experience in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be crucial for handling the pressure of a World Cup.

Kaleem Sana

The left-arm pacer is the spearhead of the bowling attack, and is known for his lethal Powerplay spells. Sana was the joint-leading wicket-taker for Canada in 2025, taking 10 wickets at a 7.50 average in the Americas Regional Final. His standout performance was the 4/17 against Bermuda. He has over 60 T20I wickets with an exceptional career average of 13.40. His ability to swing the new ball back into right-handers will be Canada's best chance at early breakthroughs against top teams.

Harsh Thaker

The all-rounder provides the key balance, with his off-spin and middle-order batting. In June 2025, Thaker set a national record by scoring the fastest-ever half-century for Canada in international cricket (reaching 50 in just 16 balls) against the Cayman Islands. He boasts an impressive T20I bowling economy of 6.07. His potential as a "finisher" has grown, moving him from a defensive all-rounder to a genuine match-winner.

Tournament prediction

Canada face an almost impossible task in Group D, often referred to as the 'Group of Death' due to the presence of three full member giants. A win against the UAE might be probable, and if they can pull off an upset against one of the other three teams, they could dream of a top-three finish in the group. But, if the ‘big 3’ play to their potential, Canada are likely to finish fourth.