New Zealand faces Canada in a crucial Group D clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. This 31st match could solidify the Black Caps’ path to the Super Eights while ending Canada’s slim hopes.
The game is set for February 17, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM IST (7:30 AM local time in Chennai). It takes place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, also known as Chepauk, in Chennai, India.
Chepauk’s pitch has been a batter’s paradise throughout the tournament, offering true bounce and short boundaries that favor high scores. New Zealand chased 183 against Afghanistan here recently, and expect another run-fest with the surface likely to skid on under clear skies. Temperatures will hover around 32-35°C with low humidity and no rain interruptions forecast, perfect for an uninterrupted day game.
For New Zealand, a win locks in their Super Eight spot after a mixed start—they thumped UAE and Afghanistan but stumbled against table-toppers South Africa. Canada, meanwhile, sits on the brink of elimination, having shown fight but faltered in close chases against South Africa and UAE. This is do-or-die for the Canadians, who need a miracle upset plus help from other results to stay alive. New Zealand, with their pedigree, won’t ease up, eyeing a strong net run rate to top the group.
NZ vs CAN Match Details
- Match: New Zealand vs Scotland, 3rd Match
- Teams: NZ vs CAN
- Date: 17 Feb 2026
- Time: 10:30 AM 5:30 AM GMT / 11:00 AM LOCAL
- Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 31st T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: All matches on ESPN and Cricbuzz have live scores.
Team Form
New Zealand enters with solid momentum from two Chennai wins, where their top order fired. Their loss to South Africa exposed middle-order fragility, but the bowling held firm. Canada has heart—they rattled UAE at 66/4 chasing 151 but leaked late runs via sloppy fields. Against South Africa, they competed but lacked finishing punch. Both sides are adapting to subcontinental conditions, but New Zealand’s experience gives them the edge.
Head-to-Head
The teams have met just three times in international cricket, all outside T20Is—New Zealand leads 2-1. No prior T20I history adds intrigue. In their last five encounters (padding with non-T20Is for context): NZ won the most recent ODI in 2022 by 102 runs; Canada pulled a rare ODI win in 2022 by 10 wickets; earlier Tests and ODIs went NZ’s way. Overall: 3 matches, NZ 2 wins, Canada 1, no ties or no-results.
New Zealand Analysis
Strengths: Explosive openers in Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, who demolished UAE here. Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra offer spin variety for Chepauk, while pace attack led by Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson brings death-over nous.
Weaknesses: Middle order (Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips) can wobble under pressure, as seen vs South Africa.
Key Players: Allen’s power-hitting (recent fifty), Santner’s all-round control, Henry’s swing. Recent form: Won 2/3 group games, chasing big totals confidently.
Probable XI: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, Tim Southee
Canada Analysis
Strengths: Fighting spirit in the chase, with Nicholas Kirton and Pargat Singh showing flair. Spinners like Harsh Thaker can exploit turn, and Harmeet Baidwan’s seam movement troubles early.
Weaknesses: Batting depth crumbles late, fielding lapses cost vs UAE. Lack firepower against top attacks.
Key Players: Kirton’s consistency, Baidwan’s wickets, Shreyas Movva’s keeping. Recent form: Competitive losses to SA and UAE, needing a breakout performance.
Probable XI: Aaron Johnson, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Pargat Singh, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Harmeet Baidwan, Nikhil Dutta, Junaid Siddiqui, Kaleem Sana, Rayyan Pathan
Key Talking Points
Will New Zealand’s openers repeat their UAE blitz on a familiar pitch? Can Canada avoid another collapse after restricting UAE? Spin will decide—Santner vs Thaker in the middle overs. New Zealand’s Chennai comfort (two prior wins) vs Canada’s Delhi struggles. A big chase looms if dew doesn’t factor in the day game. Watch for Allen’s boundary count and Baidwan’s new-ball threat.
New Zealand’s superior squad depth, form, and venue mastery make them heavy favorites. Expect a 30-40 run win or comfortable chase, with Allen and Seifert starring. Canada might compete early but fade against quality pace and spin. Black Caps by 8 wickets, sealing Super Eights.