Canada has officially secured a spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after decisively defeating the Bahamas by 10 wickets in the Americas Qualifier at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground on Saturday. The host nation maintained its unbeaten record in the tournament, achieving a fifth consecutive win by comfortably chasing down a modest target of 58 runs in just 5.3 overs. This result confirms 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 were instrumental, each taking three wickets to dismantle the Bahamian batting order. In response, Canadian opener Dilpreet Bajwa produced an explosive unbeaten knock of 36 off just 14 deliveries, sealing the match inside six overs and concluding a one-sided affair.
Led by Nicholas Kirton, Canada entered the qualifier as one of the favorites, having participated in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States and the West Indies. They commenced their campaign with a resounding 110-run victory over Bermuda, followed by successive wins 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 victory ensures Canada’s participation in the expanded 20-team T20 World Cup. They join 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 upcoming regional qualification tournaments: two from Europe (July 5–11, 2025), two from Africa (September 19–October 4, 2025), and three from the Asia-East Asia Pacific Qualifier (October 1–17, 2025).
