There’s something about Yuvraj and cricket World Cups.

If Indian star Yuvraj Singh had stolen the show in the T20 showpiece in 2007 and the 50-over tournament in 2011, it was the turn of a namesake, Yuvraj Samra, to announce himself to the world, with a few records to boot.

The 19-year-old Canada batter, named after the illustrious India cricketer, smashed a 65-ball 110, which included half-a-dozen sixes, in a T20 World Cup match against New Zealand national cricket team at the M.

A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Monday. The knock went in vain as the Kiwis chased it down in 15.1 overs, but the Canadian Yuvraj showcased his quality against a seasoned attack with a fearless approach.

In scoring the century, he became the first player from an Associate nation to breach the three-figure mark in the T20 World Cup. He also became the youngest to score a hundred across men’s World Cups, in both the T20 and 50-over formats.

“I enjoyed the whole innings. I felt like it just went my way today and I felt great. Yes, I’ve always been thinking about this moment day and night,” he told reporters after the match.

His game bears an uncanny resemblance to Yuvraj Singh’s, particularly the lofted strokes, and he credited his father, who named him after the India all-rounder, for his development.

“I wish he was here to watch this game,” the Canada opener said.

Recalling his growth trajectory, he said, “In Canada, it’s not that easy to play and train because we only get three months to play due to the extreme cold.”

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The knock is likely to draw wider attention, and Samra said he hoped it could open doors in T20 leagues across the globe.

“I feel like this innings could change my life. I can actually make a good living out of this sport,” he said.

New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips, who struck a 36-ball unbeaten 76 to steer his side to victory, was full of praise for the Canadian.

“Obviously he batted unbelievably well. It’s fantastic for him to have such an opportunity on the world stage and also to perform on the world stage. He hit the ball really well today.”

Published on Feb 18, 2026