The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai hosts a Group D dead rubber between two eliminated sides playing for pride and a positive memory to take home from a disappointing campaign. Afghanistan’s tournament promised so much after their 2024 heroics, but heartbreaking close defeats to South Africa and New Zealand ended their Super 8 aspirations before the mathematics could catch up. The Rashid Khan-led side have been competitive in every game but have nothing to show for it; a cruel reflection of tournament cricket’s fine margins. Canada’s campaign never really took off. Heavy defeats to South Africa, UAE, and New Zealand exposed the gulf in class between Associate regulars and full-member nations. The Dilpreet Bajwa-led side have fought valiantly but have been outclassed in every department. This is a contest about pride, about giving the fans something to cheer, about leaving India with heads held high. History favors Afghanistan -they’ve won both previous meetings, though the last was in 2012. On a Chennai surface offering assistance to spinners, with two world-class Afghan spinners against a Canadian batting lineup that has struggled, this is Afghanistan’s game to lose.
Afghanistan vs Canada Win Probability
RCBW vs DCW Batting Tips
AFG vs CAN, Group D T20 World Cup 2026 39th Match Details
| Match | ICC T20 World Cup 2026, 39th Match, Group D |
| Date | Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
| Time | 07:00 PM (IST) |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Live Streaming (TV) | Star Sports Network |
| Live Streaming (Mobile) | JioHotstar |
AFG vs CAN Team Form – Who Will Win Today’s Match?
Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s form is deceptive (L, L, W, W, L), with two narrow tournament losses to top-tier opposition. Their key strength is individual brilliance. Rahmanullah Gurbaz leads with 110 runs, including a breathtaking 84 off 42 against South Africa. Azmatullah Omarzai has been outstanding with the ball (8 wickets in 3 matches). The spin attack, featuring Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad, remains world-class. The psychological edge is pride; they want to leave with a win.
Canada
Canada’s form is dire (L, L, L, L, L), with three heavy tournament defeats. Their key strength is individual resilience. Navneet Dhaliwal has been their best batter, though consistency has eluded the lineup. The bowling attack has been taken apart by every opponent. Their realistic objective is to compete for 40 overs and avoid another heavy defeat.
AFG vs CAN Probable Playing XI
Afghanistan Probable XI-
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Canada Probable XI-
Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (C), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Harsh Thaker, Dilon Heyliger, Shreyas Movva (WK), Saad Bin Zafar, Shivam Sharma, Jaskaran Singh, Ansh Patel.
AFG vs CAN Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)
| Total Match Played | 03 |
| AFG Won | 02 |
| CAN Won | 01 |
| Draw/No Result | 00 |
AFG vs CAN Pitch Report
The MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch in Chennai has historically favored chasing sides in T20 internationals. The surface offers assistance to spinners throughout, with the ball gripping and turning as the game progresses. The average first-innings score in this World Cup has been competitive. Dew is unlikely to play a significant role in this night game. Afghanistan, batting first, will target 180-190. Canada would be satisfied with 150-160.
AFG vs CAN Weather Report
Conditions will be warm and humid with temperatures in the low 30s °C. There is a low chance of rain, ensuring an uninterrupted contest. The evening conditions will be pleasant for cricket.
AFG vs CAN Toss Prediction
The captain winning the toss will likely choose to bowl first. The historical trend at Chepauk favors chasing sides, and with no dew factor to complicate the decision, both captains will prefer to know their target.
AFG vs CAN Match Prediction
This is a pride contest between two eliminated sides, but the gulf in quality remains significant.
Afghanistan’s case: They possess world-class match-winners. Rahmanullah Gurbaz can take the game away in the powerplay. Azmatullah Omarzai is in the form of his life with the ball. The spin attack, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad is perfectly suited to Chennai conditions. Even a demoralized Afghan unit, playing for pride, should be far too strong.
Canada’s case: They have Navneet Dhaliwal, who has shown fight. They have nothing to lose, which can sometimes be dangerous. The freedom of playing without pressure could unlock their potential.
However, Canada’s batting has been consistently inconsistent. Their bowling has been taken apart by every opponent. Afghanistan’s spin attack on this surface is a different proposition entirely.
Expect Afghanistan to approach this with professional intensity Gurbaz attacking from ball one, the spinners strangling in the middle overs. Canada will compete Dhaliwal may score, Saad Bin Zafar may take wickets but Afghanistan’s superior class, world-class spin attack, and historical dominance should see them secure a consolation victory and leave the tournament with heads held high.
AFG vs CAN Dream11 Team
- Wicketkeeper: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Yuvraj Samra
- Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton
- All-rounders: Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Harsh Thaker
- Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Saad Bin Zafar
Captain (C) Pick: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Yuvraj Samra.
Vice-Captain (VC) Pick: Azmatullah Omarza, Rashid Khan.
