Team preview: Canada

Overview

Despite having made their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup debut more than 40 years ago, Canada have been unable to qualify for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup so far. They've qualified for the T20 World Cup Qualifier on four occasions in the past, but have not proceeded to the next stage so far. Can that change this time around for the side ranked 24th in the MRF Tyres ICC T20 Team Rankings?

Canada's confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019 will be high, having won the ICC T20 World Cup Americas Regional Final in August to make it to the global event. They will walk into the tournament with renewed hope and ambition, having registered five consecutive wins in as many T20Is this year. With an exciting mix of youth and experience in their ranks, Canada are well-placed to put their best foot forward in the tournament.

How they got here

Canada finished behind United States of America in the ICC T20 World Cup Americas Regional Qualifier 2018, missing out on the top spot due to a difference of 0.123 in their net run-rates. However, they brought their best to the ICC T20 World Cup Americas Final earlier this year, topping the points table with five wins in six games. They remained unbeaten in the tournament, while their players topped the charts for most runs and wickets in the competition.

T20WC history

Canada have never featured in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, but have made been a part of four ODI World Cups (1979, 2003, 2007, 2011). Their campaigns in all four competitions ended after the group stage.

Key player

**Navneet Dhaliwal:**The Canada skipper was the most prolific batsmen in the Americas Finals, accumulating 190 runs at 63.33 in five innings. He only made his T20I debut earlier this year, but has established himself as their key batsman. He is also a right-arm medium pacer, and has 14 international wickets. Dhaliwal was in superb form in the build-up to the Qualifier, scoring 417 runs in seven innings, including one century and three half-centuries. He has an impressive strike-rate of 132.86 in T20I cricket.

One to watch

Dillon Heyliger: A right-arm medium pacer, Heylinger has been among the wickets for Canada since his T20I debut in August this year. He was their leading wicket-taker in the Americas final, claiming 11 scalps at an exceptional average of 10.09. He registered two four-wicket hauls in five games, while also bowling at an economy rate of just 5.84. Heyliger has picked up nine wickets in his last four appearances for Canada.

Fixtures

20 October: v Jersey, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi
21 October: v Nigeria, Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
23 October: v Ireland, Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
24 October: v Hong Kong, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi
25 October: v Oman, Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
27 October: v United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi