Canada has earned its first-ever spot in the T20 World Cup after defeating Bermuda by 39 runs in the Americas Region qualifier final. This victory ensures Canada’s participation at the tournament in 2024.

In a crucial match against Bermuda, Canada batted first in a rain-reduced game of 18 overs per side. They posted a total of 132 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Navneet Dhaliwal was instrumental, scoring 45 runs off 38 balls.

Canada faced an early setback when their top run-scorer, Aaron Johnson, was dismissed in the fifth over. However, Dhaliwal held the innings together and contributed to a 39-run partnership with Harsh Thaker. Both batsmen were eventually dismissed, but Nicholas Kirton’s explosive 26 off 10 balls propelled Canada to a strong finish, scoring 37 runs in the final three overs.

In response, Bermuda had a decent start with opener Tre Manders. Still, Kamau Leverock and Terryn Fray kept their chase on track, adding 50 runs for the second wicket. However, Bermuda’s hopes crumbled when they lost four wickets in just 11 balls, slipping from 52 for 1 to 63 for 4. Nikhil Dutta was instrumental in taking two critical wickets.

Although Allan Douglas fought to keep Bermuda’s hopes alive with a 13-ball 22, the team suffered another collapse, losing their last six wickets for just eight runs in 3.3 overs.