The T20 World Cup witnessed a historic moment as Yuvraj Samra, a 19-year-old of Indian descent playing for Canada, became the youngest centurion in the tournament’s annals. At 19 years and 141 days, his 110-run blitz off 65 deliveries—adorned with 11 boundaries and 6 maximums—shattered previous benchmarks.
This performance dethroned Pakistan’s Ahmad Shehzad from the top spot, where he had reigned since his 2014 ton against Bangladesh at 22 years and 127 days. Suresh Raina (23y 156d vs South Africa, 2010), Alex Hales (25y 83d), and Glenn Phillips (25y 327d) now occupy the next podium positions in the century-makers list.
Samra also claimed the record for the youngest T20 World Cup fifty, edging out Junaid Siddique (19y 325d). Pakistan’s Umar Akmal (19y 349d) and India’s Rohit Sharma (20y 143d) follow closely.
Marking it as the best-ever knock from an associate side, Samra surpassed Aaron Jones’s 94* for USA. Scotland duo Michael Jones (86 vs Ireland, 2022) and George Munsey (84 vs Italy, 2026) are next.
Canada set a challenging 173/4 in their innings at Chepauk, powered by Samra. New Zealand responded with a clinical chase, winning by 8 wickets in under 16 overs.
With roots in Punjab—his father Baljeet Singh emigrated to Canada—Samra was born in Brampton and named after his hero, Yuvraj Singh. This innings isn’t just a record; it’s a testament to the growing prowess of diaspora talent in international cricket.