Canada's Yuvraj Samra's connection with India's Yuvraj Singh

Baljit Samra is a funny guy. He named his son after Yuvraj Singh, and thought he could sneak off and play cricket without the boy noticing.

"I used to sleep with my mom when I was really little," the boy now about to play the T20 World Cup for Canada says. "So like I'll see him wake up - like he wouldn't take me to the games - I'll wake up and be like, where are you going? And I'll just be like I want to come too! I want to come too! Then he'll take me and then when they're batting I'll stay when they're about a bowl. I'll leave."

Yuvraj Singh Samra is a tall left-hander who likes hitting the ball as hard as he can.

"Especially when it just comes out the middle, I feel like, s**t, that was nice. Especially in the stadium, when you hit a good shot in the middle, it echoes and that's probably like, the echo is just, that's it. So satisfying. I feel like I can hear that all day"

Samra is only 19 but has played eight ODIs and 16 T20Is for Canada, and among his best work is a 15-ball fifty against Bahamas less than a year ago. It is a national record, and an obvious connection to his namesake.

Samra has met Yuvraj, who hit a 12-ball fifty in the first ever T20 World Cup, a couple of times. "My dad was there, my dad told him [about the name]. He said, oh, that's nice, he's just laughing. I don't remember when it was, it was when he played for Toronto Nationals [in 2019]. And then now I met him when Super 60 started, so last year, 2025.

"It's just amazing how he hits the ball. It's just really fun to watch. My dad always wants me to copy him. But I'm always saying that I want to be like my own version."

Which appears to be a batter who understands his limitations - "I'm not like AB [de Villiers], like scoop this way, scoop that way. But I rely on my shots. I'm strong down the ground, like straight in my V" - but won't let anything stop him.

"I feel like this World Cup for me, like I wanna perform well, and I want to play franchise leagues," Samra says. "That's my main goal. I want to be one of the first Canadians to play almost all the leagues around the world. I feel like as I'm 19, and I feel like I have the talent to do that as well. Obviously my dad wants me to play in the IPL for Mumbai Indians. Who doesn't want to play in the IPL? The CPL? Major League?"

Samra was still playing age-groups in October 2023. Then got his chance with the senior team going on tour in February 2024 at which point his head was in the clouds. Literally.

"Hong Kong is just like, it's a weird city," Samra says, "Because there's no houses there. It's all skyscrapers, they're touching the clouds, it's crazy. The hotel we were staying at was almost inside the clouds. It was massive."

He hit a century in his second 50-over game for Canada. "It was really good, I feel it was a really big opportunity. I'd like to thank [former] Coach Pubudu [Dassanayake] because of him I got the opportunity as being 17 years old, not many people believed that I was ready to play at that stage."

Just for the record, Yuvraj made his India debut aged 18 and had to wait till his fourth game for his first century. He obviously played his cricket at a much higher level. The next few weeks will introduce that level to Samra. The past few days have already offered some hints that he's gonna have to steel himself up a bit.

"I was at a photo shoot right now. Had to do some expressions. I'm not really good at expressions. They said do a celebration. I was like (double fist pump, looking all mean).

"We're playing [our first T20 World Cup match] against South Africa, so I'll definitely like to meet Markram. Probably everyone on that team, the big names on that team, ask them what their mindset is. How do you guys prepare for such a big tournament?

"I don't really like going up to people but sometimes I feel like I should. I should ask. I'm always a little quiet person. Like I'm always like it's fine, this is a one time in a life opportunity. You never know when you're gonna see them again. So I might as well just ask them."

Samra has already picked up a few things. "I feel like the only difference between really big players and average players is that they're really mentally strong. Like [MS] Dhoni, he didn't really have a style, but he was just mentally really strong and he just took over the game.

"Usman Khawaja was our captain at Vancouver Knights [at the Global T20 Canada in 2024]. He was... They're just all really calm. Like they just say enjoy yourself, that's about it. If you don't enjoy what you're doing, there's no point. People say oh, you're gonna get out playing this way. You're gonna get out regardless. So just play fearlessly."

Eyes on big dreams (not so much on how they could all go wrong). A whole bunch of nervous energy. And curiosity. A rush to get to the finish line. Xbox as a non-negotiable. "I play Fortnite and Call of Duty." Occasional laziness. Particularly in the winter. "I wake up as late as possible. Watch some TV. Help my mom out, you know. Just try not going out because there's so much snow." The kid inside Samra is so refreshingly alive and well but the adults in his life knew he needed to come out of his comfort zone a bit.

Amarinder Bhinder, a Cricket South Africa Level 3 coach living in Toronto at the time, taught the basics of technique to Samra and introduced his father to Patiala Shahi Cricket Club who have played a big role in shaping Samra's career since the age of 13, taking him around Canada to play in cricket tournaments and helping him come out of his shell. Soon the game became everything.

Where other kids his age would pick up sport as weekend activity, he went full on, hitting 500 balls a week. He was home schooled through grades 11 and 12 so that he could maintain this routine. "When I started my like proper cricketing journey, my mom, she quit her job [at a car parts manufacturing plant]," Samra said. "She'll be with me 24x7. She'll take me to my games, my practices, stay with me until I leave." Hoshiar Samra will be here at the World Cup as well.

Baljit won't be but they have a tradition. "He'll always give me a call if I don't give him a call. He'll be like, how was practice? How was the game? What did you do today?"

Samra's cousins will be in Delhi when Canada face UAE on February 13. "I'm gonna see them after I think two years."

The next few weeks are gonna be fun. They'll give us an idea of whether our world's got to learn to be big enough for two Yuvraj Singhs.