Canada will take on New Zealand in their third match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Tuesday, February 17. New Zealand seeks to rebound after a loss to South Africa, while Canada aims for their first win in the tournament.
Canada
Canada has struggled in their group, losing their first two matches to South Africa and UAE. In their recent match against UAE, Canada set a target of 150 runs but lost by 5 wickets as the UAE chased it down in 19.4 overs. Harsh Thaker was the standout player, scoring 50 runs off 41 balls, while Navneet Dhaliwal added 34 runs. The bowling performance has been a concern, with Saad Bin Zafar being the best bowler, taking 3 wickets for 14 runs.
New Zealand
New Zealand started strong with two wins but faced defeat against South Africa by 7 wickets. They posted 175 runs, with Finn Allen, Daryl Mitchell, and Mark Chapman contributing 31, 48, and 32 runs, respectively. However, South Africa successfully chased the target in just 17.2 overs. New Zealand’s bowlers struggled, with only Lockie Ferguson, James Neesham, and Rachin Ravindra taking a wicket each. They currently sit second in Group D.
CAN vs NZ Match Details
| CAN vs NZ T20I WC Match Details | |
| Match | Canada vs New Zealand 31st T20I Match |
| Date and Time | Tuesday, February 17; 11:00 a.m. IST |
| Venue | MA Chidambaram, Chennai |
| Broadcasting and Live Streaming | TV-Star Sports Network, Live Stream-JioHotstar |
CAN vs NZ T20 WC Pitch Report
The pitch at MA Chidambaram is expected to favor batters early on, with good pace and bounce. As the match continues, spinners may find more turn. A first innings score around 175-190 is likely.
CAN vs NZ T20 WC Weather Report
Chennai is forecasted to be hot and humid, with no rain expected. The morning match will see temperatures around 27-32 °C under mostly clear skies.
CAN vs NZ Head-to-Head Records
- This will be the first meeting between these teams in this format.
CAN vs NZ Probable XI
- Canada: Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Samra, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleen Sana, Ansh Patel.
- New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra, James Neesham, Tim Seifert (wk), Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jacob Duffy, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Finn Allen
Players to Watch Out For in the CAN vs NZ Match
- Navneet Dhaliwal | Canada: Dhaliwal has been a key player, scoring 64 runs in the opener against South Africa and 34 runs against UAE. He has accumulated 1295 runs in 47 matches, including 10 half-centuries.
- Tim Seifert | NZ: Seifert is known for his aggressive batting. He scored 65 and 89 in his first two matches and leads the tournament with 167 runs.
CAN vs NZ Toss Prediction
Historical Toss-Winning Stats at the Venue
- In the last 7 T20 matches here, teams winning the toss have chosen to bowl first 4 times and batted first 3 times.
Advantages of Bowling First on This Pitch
- Out of 7 T20I matches played at this venue, teams batting first have 3 wins, while those bowling first have 4 victories.
CAN vs NZ Today’s Match Scenario
Scenario 1
- Toss Winner: CAN (opts to bowl first)
- Power-Play Score: 40-45
- NZ Total: 180-190
- Match Winner: New Zealand
Scenario 2
- Toss Winner: NZ (opts to bowl first)
- Power-Play Score: 35-40
- CAN Total: 130-150
- Match Winner: New Zealand
Who will win today’s CAN vs NZ T20 World Cup match?
New Zealand is favored to win, given their strong record against less experienced teams. Canada’s recent performances are unlikely to be enough to challenge New Zealand effectively.