Youngest T20 WC centurion: 19-year-old Yuvraj Samra

KATHMANDU: Canadian teenage sensation Yuvraj Samra has stunned the cricketing world by smashing a 100 off just 58 balls against a formidable New Zealand side in the 2026 T20 World Cup.

This historic knock marks the first-ever century by a player from an Associate nation in a men’s T20 World Cup.

At just 19, Samra also becomes the youngest centurion in T20 World Cup history.

Samra reached his fifty in 36 balls and completed his century in 58 balls, lacing 10 fours and 6 sixes.

He celebrated his milestone by removing his helmet and looking skyward in joy.

He added 110 runs in total, falling in the final over after a blistering innings of 65 balls, hitting 11 fours and 6 sixes.

His innings helped Canada post 173 for 4 against New Zealand.

Samra’s playing style has drawn comparisons to Indian cricket legend Yuvraj Singh—a connection deeper than just style, as his full name is Yuvraj Singh Samra, given by his father Baljit Samra, who named him after the Indian great, hoping his son would also rise to cricketing glory.

The left-handed batter enjoys power-hitting, much like Singh, and has met his idol twice, in 2019 and 2025.

Notably, Singh once scored a T20 World Cup fifty off 12 balls, while Sharma set a record by hitting a fifty in just 15 balls against the Bahamas last year.

Sharma’s rise is rooted in family sacrifice: his mother quit her job to support his cricketing journey, and he was homeschooled during grades 11 and 12 to focus on training and matches.

Looking ahead, Samra dreams of playing in the Indian Premier League, especially for Mumbai Indians, saying: “I want to become the first Canadian to play in all the top leagues worldwide. My father will be thrilled to see me play for Mumbai Indians.”