Canada has made history by securing a spot in the T20 World Cup 2024 for the very first time. They achieved this remarkable feat by defeating Bermuda with a convincing 39-run victory in the final game of the Americas Regional qualifier, thus earning their ticket to the 2024 edition of the tournament.
In the rain-affected match, Canada batted first and managed to post a total of 132 for 4 in their allotted 18 overs. Navneet Dhaliwal played a pivotal role, contributing 45 runs off 38 balls. Despite losing their top scorer of the tournament, Aaron Johnson, early in the innings, Dhaliwal held his ground and formed a crucial 39-run partnership with Harsh Thaker.
Bermuda sensed an opportunity when Dhaliwal fell, but Nicholas Kirton’s explosive 26 off just 10 balls, featuring two sixes and two fours, provided Canada with a strong finish. They amassed 37 runs in the final three overs, including 20 off the last over, ultimately setting a challenging target of 133 for Bermuda.
In response, Canada’s bowlers made a significant impact early on, with Harsh Thaker removing opener Tre Manders in his first over. Despite the solid partnership of 50 runs between Kamau Leverock and Terryn Fray, Bermuda’s chase started to unravel rapidly.
Nikhil Dutta played a crucial role for Canada, taking two vital wickets as Bermuda’s score slipped from 52 for 1 to a precarious 63 for 4 in just 11 balls. Allan Douglas fought valiantly for Bermuda, contributing a quickfire 22 off 13 balls, but his dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse. Bermuda lost their last six wickets for a mere eight runs in just 3.3 overs.
Kaleem Sana emerged as the standout bowler for Canada and was rightfully named the Player of the Match for his outstanding figures of 3.5-1-4-3. With this historic victory, Canada has earned its place in the upcoming T20 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies in 2024.
