Canada teenager gives Kiwis the jitters

Yuvraj Samra youngest to hit a T20 World Cup century

New Zealand’s cricketers were given the jitters bowling first as Canada’s openers put on 116 runs for the first wicket before they stormed into the Super Eight stage of the men’s T20 Cricket World Cup winning by eight wickets with nearly five overs to spare in their group match in Chennai, India yesterday.

Faced with a 174 target after Canada’s teenage opener Yuvraj Samra hammered 110, the Kiwis raced home in 15.1 overs as Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips combined for a dominating unbroken partnership of 146 runs in 12 overs.

Ravindra found form ahead of the Super Eight games when he smacked 59 in 39 balls with four fours and three sixes while Phillips clobbered 76 in 36 balls with six sixes to add to four fours.

Canada with nothing to lose decided to bat first and posted 116 runs for the first wicket in 14 overs as 19-year old opener Yuvraj Samra clouted 110 in 65 balls that had 11 fours and six sixes making him the youngest to hit a century in the history of the T20 World Cup.

But Canada did not have the bowlers to do justice to their team as the New Zealand pair of Ravindra and Phillips were on song stroking the ball to all corners of the ground.

Scores:

Canada 173 for 4 in 20 overs (Yuvraj Samra 110, Dilpreet Bajwa 36)

New Zealand 176 for 2 in 15.1 overs (Finn Allen 21, Rachin Ravindra 59 not out, Glenn Phillips 76 not out)