Who is Yuvraj Samra? Youngest batter to smash a T20 World Cup hundred

Indian-origin Canadian batter Yuvraj Samra created history by becoming the youngest player to score a century at a T20 World Cup, smashing a career-best 110 off 65 balls against New Zealand in the Group D match. He achieved the feat at just 19 years and 141 days old.

He was named after Indian veteran Yuvraj Singh by his father Baljit Samra and was playing only his 19th T20I since making his debut in March 2025. He struck 11 fours and six sixes to power Canada to a total of 173, setting a new record for the highest individual score by a batter from an Associate nation. He also became the third Canadian to register a half-century in this edition of the tournament.

The previous record for the youngest T20 World Cup century was held by Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad, who was 22 years old when he achieved it in 2014. After his milestone knock, Yuvraj said the moment was one he had long imagined and worked towards, also reflecting on the comparisons with his namesake, Yuvraj Singh.

“Yuvraj Singh is someone I’ve looked up to since I was a kid, so to even be mentioned in the same breath is special. I just wish my dad was here today watching me from back home - this one’s for him. (On the surface) The wicket was a bit slow and the ball was sticking slightly. I felt it was important to pick the right deliveries to attack and not force shots. Once I got set, I focused on timing rather than power. I think bowling into the pitch and mixing the pace will be key on this surface - it’s not the easiest track for free-flowing strokeplay, so you’ve got to adapt," Samra said.

In the T20 World Cup 2026, New Zealand secured their place in the Super Eight stage with an eight-wicket win over Canada. Chasing 174, the Kiwis were guided by unbeaten knocks from Glenn Phillips, who scored 76*, and Rachin Ravindra, who contributed 59*. From Group D, South Africa and New Zealand emerged as the two teams to qualify for the next round.