New Zealand eye Super Eight spot against Canada
New Zealand have faced Canada just three times in international cricket so far - each time in ODI World Cups
Deivarayan Muthu
Feb 16, 2026, 9:54 AM • 6 hrs ago
Tim Seifert and Finn Allen are among the best dangerous openers in world cricket • Associated Press
Big picture: NZ meet Canada for the first time in T20Is
A win against Canada in their first T20I against them on Tuesday will firm up New Zealand's spot in the Super Eight. This result will also knock out Canada; South Africa have already qualified for the next round from Group D with three wins in as many games.
New Zealand have faced Canada just three times in international cricket so far - each time in ODI World Cups. Their most recent meeting coming in the 2011 edition in Mumbai. They have won all three games and are poised to make it 4-0 against Canada in World Cups, despite the absence of Lockie Ferguson. The fast bowler has returned home for the birth of his first child and is expected to link up with the side ahead of the Super Eight. In Ferguson's absence, Kyle Jamieson, who wasn't even in the main squad in the first place, is set to make his T20 World Cup bow.
As for Canada, they had their moments against South Africa and UAE but they have failed to convert those into wins. On Friday in Delhi, they had UAE at 66 for 4 in the 13th over in a chase of 151, but they left the door ajar for Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan to sneak home. Canada can't afford such slip-ups against New Zealand - and then Afghanistan - if they are to notch up a win in this World Cup.
Form guide
New Zealand LWWLW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Canada LLWWW
Canada LLWWW
In the spotlight: Kyle Jamieson and Saad Bin Zafar
Kyle Jamieson doesn't quite have Ferguson's express pace, but can bang it away on a hard length and stifle the opposition batters. He also has some slower variations in his repertoire and his high-arm release could pose a big threat, especially to batters who are facing him for the first time.
Once known as "Vettori" in Canada's club cricket circuit, Saad Bin Zafar will run into the team that was once captained by one of his heroes. The Canada left-arm spinner often attacks the stumps and keeps it tight, as his economy rate of 6.02 across 67 T20Is suggests. At 39, Saad knows he won't be playing the game for long and will be eager to cause a few upsets on the big stage.
Team news
Jamieson is set to slot in for Ferguson unless New Zealand want to give veteran legspinner Ish Sodhi a game.
New Zealand (probable): 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Finn Allen, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Mark Chapman, 7 Mitchell Santner (capt), 8 Jimmy Neesham, 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Jacob Duffy
Canada are likely to play the same XI that lost to South Africa and UAE.
Canada (probable): 1 Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), 2 Yuvraj Samra, 3 Navneet Dhaliwal, 4 Nicholas Kirton, 5 Shreyas Movva (wk), 6 Harsh Thaker, 7 Saad Bin Zafar, 8 Jaskaran Singh, 9 Dilon Heyliger, 10 Kaleem Sana, 11 Ansh Patel
Pitch and conditions: Another day game at Chepauk
This will be the third day game at Chepauk in this T20 World Cup, so dew will be a non-factor once again. Considering the 11am start, there might be some morning moisture and bounce, as was the case during New Zealand-Afghanistan, which had also started at 11am. However, there hasn't been a whole lot of turn on offer at Chepauk.
Stats and trivia
- Mark Chapman played a T20 against Canada back in 2013, when he was representing Hong Kong.
- Since the start of 2025, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert have hit 116 and 96 sixes, respectively, in T20 cricket. Dewald Brevis tops the list with 132 sixes during this period.
- Yuvraj Samra has a strike rate of 159.37, the highest among Canada batters for a minimum of 250 balls faced in T20Is.
Quotes
"South Africa were very good in all facets of the game the other day. And on our day as well, we've taken South Africa, well, in different formats as well."
Glenn Phillips isn't perturbed by the defeat against South Africa
Glenn Phillips isn't perturbed by the defeat against South Africa
"It was not easy for the team to come up after that huge loss. And coming back from that, I think we need to regroup as a team."
Shreyas Movva on how Canada are coping with their defeat against UAE
Shreyas Movva on how Canada are coping with their defeat against UAE
Deivarayan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo