OTTAWA, JUN 22: Canada became the latest side to seal a place in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after thrashing the Bahamas by 10 wickets in the Americas Qualifier at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground on Saturday.
The hosts maintained their unbeaten record in the tournament with a fifth consecutive win, comfortably chasing down a paltry target of 58 in just 5.3 overs. The result confirmed Canada’s qualification for the global tournament, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka next year.
Opting to bowl first, Canada’s bowlers delivered a ruthless performance, dismissing the Bahamas for a mere 57 runs. Left-arm pacer Kaleem Sana and off-spinner Shivam Sharma took three wickets apiece, dismantling the Bahamian batting order.
In response, Canadian opener Dilpreet Bajwa produced an explosive unbeaten knock of 36 off 14 deliveries to finish the match inside six overs and cap off a one-sided affair.
Led by Nicholas Kirton, Canada entered the qualifier as one of the favourites, having featured in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup hosted jointly by the United States and the West Indies. They began their campaign with a resounding 110-run win over Bermuda, followed by successive victories against the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas in the initial round.
A rain-affected five-over encounter against the Cayman Islands in the return fixture also went Canada’s way, as they posted 82 runs and secured a 42-run win under the DLS method.
Saturday’s win ensures Canada’s participation in the expanded 20-team T20 World Cup, joining automatic qualifiers India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, the United States, and the West Indies.
The remaining seven slots will be filled through regional qualification tournaments: two from Europe (5–11 July 2025), two from Africa (19 September–4 October 2025), and three from the Asia-East Asia Pacific Qualifier (1–17 October 2025).
