ICC Men's Т20 World Cup 2026, Match 31: New Zealand vs Canada
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ICC Men's Т20 World Cup 2026, Match 31: New Zealand vs Canada
Gear up for a high-intensity Group D clash as the New Zealand Black Caps take on a resilient Canada side in Match 31 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
While New Zealand enters as the heavy favorite, they are wary of the "giant-killer" tag Canada earned in 2024. With both teams fighting for Super Eight qualification, the pressure is on the Kiwis to maintain their perfect record against the North American side.
Head-to-Head: Clinical Superiority New Zealand has maintained a dominant record against Canada in ICC events, though most of their history resides in the 50-over format. This World Cup marks a rare T20I meeting between the two.
Feb 16, 2026 (WC Match 31): Their first major senior T20 World Cup clash.
March 13, 2011 (ODI WC): New Zealand won by 97 runs.
March 3, 2003 (ODI WC): New Zealand won by 5 wickets.
Team Form & Recent Results New Zealand (W-W-L-L-W) The Black Caps are in "tournament mode," recently sweeping a tri-nation series in Zimbabwe and showing strong form in their Asian sub-continent preparations.
Warm-up: Defeated USA by 6 wickets (Mitchell Santner 3 wickets).
Previous: Won Tri-Nation Series in Zimbabwe (Unbeaten 5-0).
League: Lost to India 4-1 in their recent away series.
Canada (L-W-W-W-L) Canada is looking to recapture the magic of their 2024 win over Ireland, having dominated their regional qualifiers to book their spot in the 2026 edition.
Warm-up: Lost to Nepal by 6 wickets.
Qualifier: Defeated Bermuda by 110 runs.
Qualifier: Defeated Cayman Islands by 59 runs.
Players in Focus Mitchell Santner (New Zealand): The captain is New Zealand's tactical anchor. On the spinning tracks of the subcontinent, his left-arm orthodox and middle-order composure are indispensable.
Dilpreet Bajwa (Canada): The young 22-year-old captain is Canada's premier batting hope. His fearless approach in the powerplay will be the ultimate test for the Kiwi pace attack.
Jacob Duffy (New Zealand): The breakout star of 2025. After taking 81 international wickets in a single calendar year, he is making his World Cup debut as the spearhead of the New Zealand attack.
Kaleem Sana (Canada): The left-arm pace "X-factor." His ability to swing the ball at pace was a highlight of the 2024 World Cup and remains Canada's best chance at early breakthroughs.